The Long Way Home
by Liek
Summary: COMPLETE! After spending 20 years in Mordor as slaves, Thranduil's children begin their long and dangerous journey home. (disclaimer: own nothing, not making money)
1. Prologue

The Long Way Home.

_Summary: After being slaves in Mordor for 20 years Thranduils children begin the long journey home._

_Rating: PG -13_

_Disclaimer: Not mine, no money (and I've stolen names other fan fic writers used. Not their characters, just their names.) Limloeth, Lanthir and Lainfea are mine.. If you want to use them, send me a mail.._

_Beta: Celebwen._

**The Long Way Home.**

Prologue

She looked into her mirror because she felt something was wrong. Something had happened that would greatly affect the future of the elves. But not in Lothlorien, nor in Imladis or the grey havens. Mirkwood. Something was wrong in Mirkwood. "Well, what a suprise" she thought. Something was always wrong in Mirkwood. But this time things were different. It was not the darkness she felt. It was the absence of light.

She searched her mirror for the Mirkwood elves. With the experience of thousands of years she found them quickly. She found their past, she found their present and then she found their king. He was sitting in one of his childern's rooms.

Galadriel chuckled. Dear Thranduil. He was always trying to appear stern and unemotional. But Galadriel had seen him in the mirror, laughing. She had seen him teaching his oldest son to read and write with endless patience. She had seen him kissing the top of his youngest son's head after the boy had fallen asleep. She had seen how he scooped up his daughter in his arms ans spun her around untill she screamed with laugher. She had seen the look on his face when he touched the belly of his pregnant wife, feeling the first kick of the fourth prince or princess of Mirkwood.

Now, he was most likely wachting his children as they were sleeping. She smiled. "You can try, Thranduil, but I will never believe you are like Oropher. You are a softy and I know it." 'Not that there is anything wrong with that of course.' She tought. After all, she married one.

However, seeing Thranduil watch his children was not her goal. She was trying to figure out what was wrong with Mirkwood. "What is missing?" She asked the mirror. "What is wrong?" But the mirror refused to show anything other than Thranduil. "Show me Mirkwood's future." she asked. Thranduil again. "Show me what is wrong!" Thranduil. "What has happened?" Thranduil. "Show me what I need to know! Thranduil. "Show me anything other than Thranduil!" The image shifted slightly to the bed of Thranduil's child. It was empty. "Where are they? Where are the princes of Mirkwood?" The mirror went blank. "Where is the queen?" The mirror showed Thranduil again. The king of Mirkwood looked up, as if he could feel her presence. She could see the trails of a thousand tears on his face. "They are all gone." He said. " The orcs have taken them. They took them to Mordor as slaves. I could not pay the ransom they asked. I could not. I could not give Mirkwood up. I'm responsible for it. I could not trade the life of thousands to the live of five. And now they are all gone. I wish I choose differently."

Galadriel didn't know what to say. Could she say he had made the right choice? Had he?

Galadriel had never met the royal children of Mirkwood. But she had seen them in the mirror.

Legolas. The eldest. The silent one. The fighter. The leader.  
Limloeth. The daugther. The dreamer. The mystic.  
Lanthir. The smart one. The know-it-all. The reader.  
Lalaith. Their mother. The laughter of Mirkwood. Pregnant with Thranduils fourth child.

Mirkwood would be lost without them. There would be no future for the woodland realm.

* * *

He didn't know how long they had been here. There was no way to count the passing of time. There were no stars, there was no hope. Everyday was the same. Hard work. Little food. No friends. Pain. Death. Despair.

Everyday slaves died. He had seen it so many times that it ceased to effecthim anymore. He was still very young, a child in body, but the long years as a slave had turned him into an adult. He didn't fight anymore. He didn't resist. Resistence was a luxary he coudn't affort. They would take it out on his brother and sisters. They would make him responsible for their death, just as he was responsible for their mother's so many years ago.

Back then he was a fighter. He refused to give up. He fought. He stole food. He gave hope to the other slaves. Brougth them together. Showed them strenght in numbers. He made escape plans. But he never escaped. His mother had just given birth and she was unable to come with them. The baby, his new sister was still too weak. So he waited. The child grew. Lainfea, his mother called her. Free Spirit. An insane name in a place like this. He waited. The child grew stronger, his other sister got sick. He waited. The baby learned to say his name. His other sister got better, his brother came home. Severly beaten. He waited… And waited… And waited too long.

Orcs came in his cell. They found his escape plans. They found the food he had stolen. They killed his mother, forcing him to watch. She should have raised them better, they said. She should have told them there was no escape. She should have told them there was no hope.

He learned his lesson. He obeyed. He needed Limloeth. He needed Lanthir. He needed Lainfea. Just like they needed him. Years went by and nothing changed. Nothing, except Lainfea. She grew older every day. She learned words. She learned to walk. She learned to dress herself. And then she learned work. And pain. And fear.

When Legolas was the age Lainfea was now, his father had taught him to read. No one taught Lainfea. He tried, but the words he had learned to write with didn't work. Lainfea had never heard them before. She didn't know flowers, trees, joy, father, mother, friends. Lanthir watched them, corrected them and when Legolas stopped, he took over. He used other words. When he explained his actions to Legolas he said Lainfea needed to learn the words she could relate to first. Limloeth entered and heard the words Lanthir spoke. She followed Lainfea to the place where she had written her first letters in the dirt. Lainfea showed them proudly. Seeing them, Limloeth cried. "Are my letters wrong? Lanthir said I did everything right." Lainfea started to cry also. "No little one." Limloeth said. "Your letters are perfect. But you should find other things to write about." Legolas then read for the first time the words Lainfea had written. Written in the dirt with a stick, in a very childish handwriting stood three words. "Orc. Work. Slave." It was that moment Legolas decided they had to leave. No matter the consequences. This place was killing them.


	2. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Legolas reached their cell before the others did, and it freaked him out. He was usually the last one to arrive because he was was the strongest slave around, and the orcs allways pushed him until he could go no farther. The others would be waiting for him and smile relieved when he entered. He was always happy to see them, but never as happy as they were to see him. He knew why. The waiting was the worst torture. Waiting alone in a cell wondering when the others would come, wondering what state they would be in, and the worst question of them all: wondering if the others would be back at all. To Legolas, this night the waiting was even worse than it normally was, because this morning he had asked his siblings to smuggle items back to their cell. He had even asked Lainfea, although Limloeth had protested, because the little one could reach places unnoticed the others couldn't even dream about. The orcs would kill his brother and sisters if they got caught. What if he had send them to their death? What if they caught Limloeth? She had taken on the role of mother ever since the real nana died. What if they caught Lanthir, who taught Lainfea to read and write. What if they killed Lainfea? What if they had killed her before she had had a chance to live?

But then he heard footsteps coming his way. Heavy footsteps that clearly belonged to one of the guards, and three pair of lighter ones. One of them was skipping. Only one elfling in the world would be able to skip in a place like this. Lainfea.

When Lainfea was born Lalaith had told him she didn't expect the baby to last long. She expected the newborn to die soon because of all the darkness surrounding her. That's why his mother had called the baby Lainfea. Her body might be captive in a land of darkness, her spirit would soon be free. The first few months of the baby's life Lalaith was constantly expecting her to give up. To stop breathing. They were all trying not to get too attacted to the girl, but Lainfea was much too stubborn to die. She was a daughter of Thranduil after all. As it turned out she was much too stubborn to be touched by the darkness as well. In spite of the horrible circumstances, somehow Lainfea managed to grow into a kind, lovely little girl.

The cell doors opened and his three siblings were pushed inside.  
"Goodnight" Lainfea said to the orc.  
Lanthir turned. "What did you say to that orc?"  
Lainfea smiled at him. "I said: Goodnight."  
Lanthir's eyes narrowed. "Why would you say 'Goodnight' to an orc?"  
"Because it is nice to say goodnight."  
Lanthir grabbed her arm. "And why" he whispered "WHY would we be nice TO ORCS???"  
He spit those last words in her direction.

Fear crept into Lainfea's eyes, along with tears. Legolas saw it happening and he gripped his brother by his throat. "What are you doing?" he asked, his voice low and threatning. "Why are you hurting our sister? She is young. She doesn't understand. Why are you hurting her?"  
"LEGOLAS! Legolas! Let go of Lanthir."Limloeth intervened. "Legolas. Let go of him, you don't want to do this." Legolas blinked and looked at what he was doing. The blood was drained from his face. He let go immediantly.  
"Lanthir … Lanthir I'm so sorry! I didn't mean to…"  
Lanthir just breathed deeply. His face was pale, his eyes were wide.  
Lainfea looked at her brothers with large wet eyes. "I didn't mean… I just wanted to be nice… Limloeth said it was nice to say goodnight."

Limloeth pulled the child into her lap. "It is nice to say goodnight. But the orcs are not nice to us. That's why Lanthir doesn't want us to be nice to them. Do you understand?"  
Lainfea nodded. "Orcs are mean." She said.  
"That's right sweetheart" Legolas said, as he kneeled to see into her eyes.  
"Orcs are very, very mean. That's why we have to get out of here. Have you got the things I asked for?"  
Lainfea giggled. Out of her dirty, torn clothes she pulled two sharp kitchen knifes, a key and a long pin. Legolas hugged her.  
"You, my little one, are the absolute best little girl in the whole wide world!" Lainfea smiled proudly. "I've got the waterskins!" Lanthir announced, almost demanding to be praised al well. Legolas was suddenly reminded that his little brother wasn't so old eighter. Lanthir had matured quickly since their captivity, but he was only a handfull of years older than Lainfea.  
Legolas put a hand on his brother's shoulder and pulled him close. "You did well."  
"I'm sorry I made Lainfea cry." Lanthir apologized softly.  
"It's all right, brother. I over-reacted. Can you forgive me?" Lanthir nodded. Legolas felt guilty as he noticed it hurt him to move his neck.  
"And I've got the extra clothes and food." Limloeth said. "So, Legolas. Tell us…. what is your plan?


	3. Chapter 2

Chapter 2.

"Any questions?" Legolas said as he looked at Limloeth. She shook her head. Of course she would't have questions. She understood how important it was to escape. The plan Legolas made wasn't the greatest and it would need a few miracles to succeed, but she could see why escaping was nessesary. She looked at her older brother. He used to be different. Laughing, dancing, playing games, teasing her. Not much was left of that Legolas now. The orcs had beaten all the sweetness out of him. His eyes weren't laughing anymore, they were almost empty. They were the eyes of someone with desperation, and little hope.

"I've got questions." Lanthir said. Legolas and Limloeth looked at their younger brother. Legolas smiled. Lanthir always had questions. It was the one thing about him that hadn't changed since their captivity.. He always had to know everything. How high do trees grow? Were do babies come from? What's the difference between an orc and a goblin?

"After we escape, if we succeed., where do we go?" Lanthir looked at his brother. Legolas answered "We go home. To Greenwood."

"Do you know how to get there?"  
"I will figure it out."  
"How?"  
"I just will."  
Lanthir glared at his brother. "'I just will is not an awnser.  
"Lanth.. I don't know everything. But once we're out of Mordor we will be able to ask for directions. The people of Gondor fought at Grandfather's side in the great war." "Do you at least know how we get out of Mordor?"  
"We go out the way we got in. We follow the river Poros back to Gondor."

"Now" Legolas asked "Any more questions?" Limloeth and Lanthir shook their head.  
"Legolas?" A small voice asked from the corner of the room.  
"Yes Lainfea?"  
"What is expaking?"  
"Escaping is … When you leave a place that is bad and go to a place that is better." Lainfea's eyes looked very worried.  
"We have to go?"  
"Yes little one. But we will go to a good place. You will like it. There will be no orcs, and you will not work. You will play all day. And Ada will love you." Legolas continued.  
"I will get an ada!?"  
The slight glow that always surrounded the little girl instandly brightened.  
"Yes Lainfea. There is an Ada waiting for all of us in Greenwood." Legolas said. He just hoped it was the truth.

Later that night, an hour before the guards would be changed, Legolas got up from his spot on the floor and scooped the sleeping Lainfea up into his arms. Beside him Limloeth and Lanthir also got up. They both carried backpacks filled with all the extra clothes, food and water they had been able to find. Legolas knew it wasn't near enough, but he gambled on the fact there would be help somewhere if they just could get out of Mordor. He shook his head to stop his train of thought. Before they could get out of Mordor, they had to get out of this cell.

"Limloeth" Legolas whispered. "You and Lanthir should take the knives. When orcs try to stop us, kill them before they have a change to shout an alarm, or worse."  
"But I can't… I've never…" Limloeth started.  
"Limloeth. Just think about what they have done to us. We have to get out of here no matter what. If you can't do it for yourself, then do it for Lainfea. She has to see the stars before she dies. " Legolas said, looking into he eyes, pleading.

"I will be able to kill those orcs" Lanthir said proudly. Legolas looked at the fire in his brother's eyes.  
"I have no doubt about that, Lanthir. But I have something to say to you too. When we are running, it is always more important to get out than to kill orcs. Killing orcs will slow you down, and it is very important that we move quickly. Do you understand?" At Lanthir's nod, Legolas continued.

"And I have something else to say to both of you.It's very important that at least one of us makes it. If I fall.. If I don't make it…. Take Lainfea and run. Do not stay."  
"But Legolas…" Limloeth said.  
"No discussion. I am the eldest. You will listen to me. At least one of us has to get out off here. Promise that you will go on, no matter what." Both of his siblings nodded. "And one last thing." Legolas said. "You are the best siblings I ever had."  
"Off course we are." Lanthir said. "We are the only siblings you've ever had." Limloeth just smiled.

Legolas tried not to think of the fact that he had no weapon as he checked the small barred window of the door to see if the hall was empty. He tried not to think of the fact that the sleeping sister in his arms was getting rather heavy, his stay in Mordor having weakened his Elven strenght. And he most of all tried to avoid thinking he was sending his brother and sisters to their death.

"It's clear," he whispered. "Let's go." Limloeth tried the key into the keyhole. Her hands shook a little and for two endless seconds it looked like Lainfea had stolen the wrong key. Lanthir swore in the tongue of the orcs, causing Lainfea to wake up. The elfling looked at the key.  
"Did I read the wrong numbers?" she asked with a very small voice. Then Limloeth was able to steady her hands and with a loud click – too loud, Legolas thought - the lock opened.  
"No Lain." He whispered in her ear. "You read the best numbers of them all." "Good" she said as she fell back to sleep.

They sneaked past the hallways walking as silent as they could. Legolas smiled. They had reached cell number 3826, which meant they would reach the underground river soon. This river flowed under the entire prison, and was used as a sewer. It flowed right into the Sea of Nurnen. But Legolas intended to follow it the opposite way, into the Ephelduath, and eventually into Gordor.

Thinking about the journey ahead Legolas didn't notice the orc-guard until it was allmost too late. The orc started, with eyes wide open. The orcs of Mordor weren't used to escape attemps. The slaves were much too worn out and hopeless to try anything. Getting over his shock, it opened his mouth to start shouting alarm. To Legolas the time seemed to slow down and each second seemed to take forever. With Lainfea still in his arms, he passed the distance between himself and the orc and kicked the vile creature's chest, knocking the air out of it's lungs.

Turning, he nodded at Lanthir and ducked. Then time caught up with him again, and the knife that had rested in Lanthir's hand was now deeply inbedded in the orcs chest.

"That was close" Lanthir stated. Legolas nodded. Too close.  
Lanthir smiled as he said "I'm now one kill ahead of you brother!"  
"Only because you had the knife." Legolas answered.  
Lanthir's smile broadened. "Just the same, a kill is a kill."  
"Stop it! Both of you! There is no time for this." Limloeth said. "We need to hide the body somewere." Legolas nodded in agreement as he woke Lainfea. "Hello little one. I need your help for a bit. I need you to walk on your own for a while. Alright?"

Lainfea nodded and stood upon her legs. Legolas gave her a quick hug and walked toward the orc. "Lanthir.. you take his legs, I'll take his arms. We are close to the river , we'll dumb him in." Lanthir nodded and did as his brother asked.

With Lainfea walking and the weigth of the dead orc beween them, they moved tremendously slower. Legolas didn't like it; moving slower meant more time for the orcs to capture them. Therefore, he was very relieved then they reached a small green door that led to the underground river.

He put the dead orc down and pulled out the long pin Lainfea had stolen. The keys to this doors were heavily guarded and (unlike the spare keys to the celldoors) would be missed almost immediately. That's why Legolas had asked his little sister to steal this pin for him.

While he was working on the lock, he thought about what his father would say if he could see the crownprince of Greenwood picking locks. He wondered even more about what his father wouls say if he knew the queen of Greenwood had thaught him. He smiled slightly to think how living in Mordor had changed all the rules.

Legolas' hands suddenly stopped moving as a large blade was pushed against his neck. "And WHAT" the orc guard said, "Do you think you're doing?.

TBC

* * *

well I'l finally anwers some reliews now, sorry I was busy before.. 

Laura: Thanks.. I'm planning to post every day.. but so far, it is not really working.. I'll do my best though..

Roguish Smile: Well here is more! I hope you like it.. It gets better I promise

sam611 : I'm continuing.. But I warn you.. this fic will be more that 20 chapters..

E. Anaid:Yes I forgot a line.. hence the fast POV switching.. sorry!

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: check the title..And that is all I say about that..

IaurMeril: THANKS!!

Randa-Chan : Thanks.. and about the character deaths.. I can't say much about that.. Just read on, no mattter what happens!

Well I have no idea why these lines are bigger that the others.. If I did I would do something about it.. So If anyone could give me a clue.. I'd be delighted...


	4. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Legolas stared at what he could see of the orc that had captured him. He couldn't believe they were caught now, so close to the exit, after walking through the entire prison without being seen. He looked around as far as the knife on his throat allowed him to, and saw that his brother was also being restrained by an orc. Legolas couldn't see Limloeth or Lainfea anywhere, and it greatly worried him. Because of the knife on his neck he couldn't see the ground, and could only hope they didn't lay dead somewhere.

The orc pulled the knife tighter. Tight enough to draw blood. Legolas restisted the urge to gulp, knowing that it would only make more blood flow.  
"I asked you what you were doing, and when one of your masters asks you a question, you will anwser, SLAVE," the orc spat at him.  
"We were just…we were..."Legolas fumbled to find some kind of excuse, ignoring the fact there were very few legitimate reasons to be out of a cell and trying to pick the lock of a possible escape-route.

Before he could find an excuse the orc answered his own question.  
"You were trying to escape," the vile creature rasped as he smiled wickedly. "And do you know the punishment is for an escape attempt?"

Legolas knew. All slaves did. The punishment for escaping was worse than death. Far worse. Legolas saw the fear in his brother's eyes, and knew that Lanthir was thinking the same thoughts.

Legolas was trying to decide whether he should force the orcs to kill him now, or hold onto the sliver of hope that he would escape later, when that hope threw herself at the orc holding Lanthir.

* * *

Little Lainfea had been huddled silently in a corner, waiting for the orcs to go away. All her life the same thing happened over and over: someone did something, the orcs would come, scare the slaves, hurt a few and then go away again. But then she saw the orc hurt Legolas' neck. She had seen the blood. Lainfea had very little medical knowledge, but she knew one thing. Slaves that bled from their necks died soon. The orcs would not leave them alone until they did.

The elfling looked around. In a dark corner on the opposite wall, close to where Legolas stood, her eyes found her sister sitting stock still against the wall. Lainfea smiled. Her sister would make everything right. She was holding a knife. Lainfea had learned a long time ago that knives could be used to hurt people. Any minute now her sister would jump up and hurt the orcs. Any minute now. Only Limloeth didn't move. She just sat there, her eyes wide, her face pale.

Lainfea concluded after a while that Limloeth was sleeping. She looked around for something to wake her, when her gaze was drawn to the body of the dead orc that Legolas and Lanthir had been dragging. Lanthir's knife was still embedded deep in its chest.

Lainfea reached out her arm and tried to pull it out. The knife did not cooperate. On  
hands and knees she moved a little closer to the dead orc and placed one of her knees on its belly. With both hands she pulled at the knife, almost falling backwards when it gave way. Lainfea smiled. Now she could hurt orcs by herself.

She crawled towards the orc holding Lanthir. They didn't notice her.  
Both of them were looking at Legolas and had their back turned to her. She stabbed the creature that was holding Lanthir, plunging the knife into the first bodypart she could reach, which turned out to be the hollow of its knee. The orc screeched and fell to its knees, turning towards Lainfea and pointing his knife at her. Before it could do anything Lanthir, now free, drove a sharp kick to its head, and the orc fell hard to the ground.

"Lainfea!" He yelled. "Lainfea, the knife! Stab him! Stab  
him!"  
Lainfea nodded and raised the knife with both hands. With all her strength she pushed it into the orcs open mouth.

"Well, well, well," the orc still holding Legolas said, merely glancing at his fallen comrade.  
"Killer-infants. Very impressive, but what have you gained, little one? You could have stayed hidden. That would have been smart thing to do. We probably wouldn't have found you for a few more days. Do you think you have saved these two now? I'm still here." Legolas felt the knife on his throat apply more pressure, and the orc's hands were soaked with the fair being's blood. This time, he knew it was for real. This time the orc wouldn't just draw blood. This time it would kill him.

But suddenly the knife stopped. Limloeth, who had been paralized at the sight of the orcs, had seen little Lainfea take out an orc and it had brought her out of her stupor with a feeling of guilt. Her little sister, a young child, had saved her brother, while she had been cowering against a wall. Limloeth thought about what her brother had said when he had handed her the knife. "Think about what they've done to us." So thought she did. Galvanized into action, Limloeth gripped her knife tighter and leapt forward, stabbing the back of the orc holding Legolas. She felt the life flowing out of the creature. She felt its blood flow over her hands and onto the ground. She felt sick.

Lanthir looked at his blood-covered siblings and the dead orcs.  
"Well,not that this wasn't fun, or anything, but I think we should get out of here before the next party of orcs decide to catch us." Legolas nodded, but he didn't start on the lock right away. First he kneeled next to Limloeth.  
"Are you alright?" Limloeth was still shaking.

"I didn't….. I couldn't…. I was so scared, and Lainfea.. Lainfea.. And I didn't. " Legoals hugged his sister and rocked her back and forth.

"Shhh, it's alright. We can't all be warriors. You did fine. Shhh... " he soothed her.  
"You don't understand! I wasn't going to do anything! If Lainfea hadn't…. If she didn't...I would have let you die!" Limloeth protested.  
"But she did, and you didn't let us die. It's alright," Legolas insisted.  
"I killed someone," she said in a semi-shocked voice.

"You killed an orc. That means you haven't really killed anyone. You released the wisted soul of an old elf from the prison of his own body and sent him to the Halls of Mandos were he can heal. You did him a favor. Not to mention saved me in the process!" Legolas smiled as he spoke.  
Limloeth gave him a weak smile in return. "Well, if you look at it that way..."  
" I do. Everytime I kill an orc." Legolas got up and offered his hand to Limloeth. She took it and allowed herself to be pulled up.

As Legolas walked past Lanthir, his brother whispered, "There's no way you think that everytime you kill an orc."  
Legolas gave his brother a glare. "Don't I?"  
"No, you don't. There just isn't enough time. Come on, brother. You think 'Die, ugly!' just like I do," Lanthir replied.  
"I wouldn't be so sure about that. I can think fast."  
"Then you just think 'Die ugly' a million times." Lanthir smiled.  
"Be quiet and go check Lainfea."  
"She's fine," he protested.  
"Go check Lainfea and leave me alone. I need to concentrate on opening the lock." "Alright, muindor nin, but just remember…. You are now one kill behind on all of us."

Legolas took a moment to figure out his priorities; opening the door, or smacking his annoying younger brother in the head. He decided to open the door first. Once they would be out of the prison, there would enough time for headsmacking.

* * *

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: (I didn't realize the queen had died. That is so sad.) Yes it is. She was a very brave women , but she died somewhere after ten years of captivity, leaving the little elves behind all alone.

sam611  
(Oh!! 20 chaps?? thas good!! for me, muha, any way, -. Here Im, wainting...)

Well here is chapter 3.. And I just finished writing chapter 31 (the 20 was a typo.. it was suppossed to be 30.. )


	5. Chapter 4

Chapter 4

Legolas sighed, relieved when the lock finally clicked open.  
"Well," he said to his brother and sisters, "we're out of here." When he didn't get a reaction, he looked behind.

Limloeth sat leaned against the wall, one of her arms wrapped around Lanthir who at next to her. His head rested gently on her shoulder. Lanthir's arms were wrapped round Lainfea, who sat on his lap, leaning against his chest. Legolas smiled at the scene. Somehow, covered in orc-blood, with three dead orcs lying around, in a prison, and during an escape attempt, his siblings had managed to fall asleep. It made Legolas realize how much each of them trusted him. He felt honored, yet at the same time, frightened.  
"I don't know if I can do this," he whispered. "I don't know if I can keep you safe. I'm trying, but... I just don't know…" he sighed.

He decided to wake Lanthir and arrange the orc bodies so that it looked like they had killed each other. That was a better plan than dumping the body's into the river, because it would draw the attention away from the sewer door. They just had to find a way to take the orcs knives with them, without losing the credibility of the orc-killed-orc scene. Lanthir would help. He was good at creating stories and situations. The doubt that had crept into Legolas' heart disappeared with the making practical plans.

The first thing Legolas did was to carefully lift Lainfea out of Lanthir's lap. He made an improvised bed out of the backpack, and put her sister on it, careful not to wake her. His action caused a chain reaction:  
Lanthir woke in alarm when the weight was lifted of his lap, his movement  
causing Limloeth to wake as well. "It's just me," Legolas reassured. "Come on. I've  
managed to open the door."

With Lanthir's imagination working at top speed, they managed to create an orc-killed orc-scene very quickly. As Legolas had predicted, Lanthir had found a way to explain the stab-wounds without using the knives, by hanging two of the orcs on pins on the wall, normally used for candles. One of them held the long pin Legolas had used to pick the lock in a death grip, to explain the stabwound of the orc lying on the floor.

When he looked at the result, Legolas shivered when he thought that it was his little brother that had created this scene. He wondered if the elf was too deeply touched by the darkness to come back from it. He was also worried about Limloeth, who still turned a little green when she looked at the orc she killed. He wondered if she would kill again if needed. In spite of what he had said to her, her hesitation to act had made him doubt she could be trusted to kill a second time.

It was one of the reasons why he was glad he had two knives of his own now. He had inprovised two sheaths from a spare blanket so that the knives could be tied  
to his back, within his reach if necessary, but unable to accidentally hurt Lainfea sleeping in his arms.

When he opened the door he took a deep breath. This was it. When they passed through this door, they would be out of the prison. It was the end of twenty years of captivity. Those twenty years had been long and hard, even for an elf. A lot had happened in those years and nothing of it good. He felt the elfling in his arms move when she put a thumb into her mouth.  
'No,' thought Legolas. He took that back. Some good had happened, and it was about time to show her the true meaning of life.

* * *

"Legolas...I'm tired," Lanthir said. They had been walking through the sewers for  
hours now. Legolas had had no idea the underground river was this long. He  
sighed. "We are all tired. But we have to go on."

"I'm not tired," Lainfea said.  
"Of course you're not tired," Lanthir said. "You are being carried. If someone would carry me I wouldn't be tired either."  
"If you promise you will stop whining, I will carry you for a while," Limloeth offered.  
"I don't want to be carried by you! You are a girl. I don't wan't to be carried by a girl," Lanthir replied.  
"Well. Then I guess you will just have to walk, won't you?" Limloeth said angrily. Lanthir stuck out his tongue, but kept quiet.

For a while they went on without complaints.  
"Legolas…I'm thirsty," Lainfea informed her older brother.  
"We are all thirsty. But we have to go on," Legolas said.  
"But I feel like I can't swallow anymore," Lainfea said, sounding as miserable as she could.

"Listen," Legolas said. "Can you see that rock further up ahead?" Lainfea nodded. "We will all drink when we reach that rock. Is that alright with you?" Lainfea nodded once more. "Good," Legolas sighed, relieved.

"How come Lainfea always gets her way?" Lanthir moped. "It is not fair.  
She gets water…"  
"I said: we will all get water," Legolas said, glancing back at him.  
"She gets to be carried."  
Legolas glared at his brother. "You know very well why Lainfea gets carried.  
She is younger than you are. A mere child! She can't walk this far. You know that. You also know why we have to keep moving. We don't want to be caught again. Or do you want to go back to the prison again?" Legolas said testily. His patience as growing quite thin. Lanthir glared at him.  
"No," he answered grumpily. "Well," Legolas said. "In that case, you will be strong and walk on without whining."

"It is still not fair," Lanthir said softly. While he walked he stamped his feet, to show he didn't agree.  
"If you continue to walk like that it will only tire you more," Limloeth said.  
"Will not," Lanthir responded.  
"Yes it will."  
"Will not."  
"Will."  
"SHUT UP!" Legolas said quickly ending the arguement.  
"Hush, or nobody gets to drink!" Lainfea looked up in shock.  
"But I didn't do anything wrong!"  
"Legolas…" Limloeth started to say. Legolas closed his eyes. He wished he had someone to whine to. He wished his father were here, so he could whine about his sore feet. About the hunger he felt. About the weight of Lainfea in his arms. About how he simply wished to be home. 'Why can't we go home, Ada? I'don't want to be here anymore…'

He opened his eyes again. "Please Limloeth," he whispered. "Please don't start whining as well. I know it's hard. I know you are hungry and thirsty and your feet hurt. But we have to go on. Don't you understand? We have to go on."

"I do understand. And I wasn't whining. I was just trying to tell you I think we have reached the end of the sewers. Look!" Legolas looked up.  
Up ahead could indeed see the end of the tunnel. They would be out of the sewer soon. Out of the sewer… and into Mordor.

* * *

Gemini969: Thanks! 


	6. Chapter 5

Chapter five.

"We," Lanthir stated, "are still walking."  
"Really?" Legolas said sarcastically, "I hadn't noticed."  
"You promised we would stop walking if we reached the end of the sewers. We reached the end of the sewers hours ago, and we are still walking."  
"I said: we would stop walking as soon as we found a safe place to rest. Have you seen a safe place to rest? No, you haven't, because there were no safe places to rest. I've been looking out for safe places, but we are in Mordor. Safe places do not just pop up every ten seconds in this Valar forsaken place!"  
Legolas' patience with his brother had left him a long time ago..

The truth was he was getting rather tired himself. He knew it was time to rest. He could feel it in his arms and legs, but he also knew that resting now, in the middle of Mordor, in view of anyone who happened by, was not a good idea. They were following a river that lead into the Ephelduath because it was the only way out of Mordor that Legolas knew of. However, the river attracted all sort of foul creatures, as it was one of the few sources of water in the dry wastelands of Mordor. If they stopped now, the chance of discovery was far too high because there were no places to hide. They had been exceedingly fortunate that no creature had noticed their presence so far.  
'But maybe some of them had', Legolas thought. 'Maybe four starved elves just didn't form enough of a meal to tempt the larger beasts. Or maybe they all looked too much like orcs, with all the dirt and muck covering them.'

Legolas decided to try a different strategy on his whining brother. "Lanthir.  
We will reach those mountains soon. We can find a place to hide somewere in there. Those are the Ephelduath, you know. The Mountains of Shadow. They form the bordor of Mordor."  
"Yes, I know, but they are miles away. It will take ages to get there!" Lanthir whined.

Legolas smiled. It was excactly the reaction he had expected. "Not if we make a dash for it."  
Limloeth looked at her older brother. He couldn't be serious. Lanthir's eyes grew wide.  
"You mean like a race? You will race us to the mountains?"  
"No Legolas, you can make him run, but you can't make us run; we haven't had a drink in hours…we'd never make it! Besides, we need to save our strength," Limloeth protested.  
Legolas knew his plan was dangerous. He knew the running could cause their elvish body's to burn up from lack of water, but he was really sick of being in Mordor, and if Lanthir had that much breath left to complain, he could use it for running as well. They would be fine, he decided. He hoped. It was a gamble he was willing to take if it would keep his brother quiet.

Legolas shifted the weight of Lainfea a bit. He would have to run while carrying her, and he didn't want her to fall. "Three…" he said.  
"This is a bad idea," Limloeth said, shaking her head.  
"Two…"  
"We will regret this!" Limoeth said, still trying to dissuade Legolas.  
"One! GO!" Legolas shouted, and he bolted off. Lanthir and Limloeth followed as fast as they could. Neither one of them had any breath left for complaining, whichwas exactly what Legolas had wanted.

A couple hours later Lanthir was the one that first slammed his hand on the first real rock of the shadowy mountains. Close behind, Lainfea followed, who had woken up after they had started running and demanded to compete as well.  
Legolas had allowed it when the mountains got closer. Legolas himself had stayed behind a bit to keep an eye on Limloeth, who wasn't doing so well. Legolas suspected she had hurt her foot somewhere, but was to stubborn to let anyone know.

Running to the mountains had taken its toll on the group. Years of harsh treatment and not enough food had made their flight to the borders of Mordor very difficult, and the group could hardly stand once they reached their destination.

"I WON!" Lanthir said with what little breath he had left. "And look! There's a cave over there on the mountainside! I'll go check if it's safe. You stay here!"

Legolas smiled. He knew his brother very well. He knew winning this match would keep his brother from whining for a while. He watched his brother enter the cave, and wondered if he should come with him. But no, he decided. His brother could handle it.

* * *

"Have I not found the perfect cave for us to rest?" Lanthir asked his siblings. "It's dry, its big, and it has water actually fit for drinking, instead of that muddy river Legolas made us follow!"  
The four elves sat together leaned against the wall of the cave, drinking freely water from the waterskin now that they could refill it.  
"This is the same river, Lanthir, it's just deeper and farther away from the orcs, that's all," Legolas said with a smile. Lanthir was trying to steal all the credit for their escape, but it was fine with Legolas. He was simply pleased that they could finally rest in peace. He smiled as he thought of his brother; he liked this compeditive, loud Lanthir much better than the whining, childish Lanthir they had seen earlier that day.

Lainfea had picked up a small stone and wrote a few letters into the sand.  
"Lanthir?" she asked. "How do you write when you are not a slave?"  
"When you are not a slave you write the same as when you are a slave. You pick up something to write with and simply write," he answered.  
"No, I mean… when you are a slave you write this." She used the stone to write "Slave" into the sand. "But when you are not a slave... what do you write then?"  
Legolas smiled and said, "I think she means to say: how do you write that you are free."  
"Ah. Let's see," Lanthir said, and he also picked up a stone. Two seconds later he and Lainfea were writing words on the sand, both of them deep in concentration.

Legolas got up to check on Limloeth. "You don't look very happy. Does your foot hurt that much?"  
"There's nothing wrong with my foot," Limloeth said.  
"Yes there is. I noticed it when we were running."  
"I just had a rock in my boot. See for yourself if you don't believe me," she replied as she lifted her foot. Legolas checked it, and found nothing wrong.  
"Good. Now the other one."  
Limloeth sighed and showed him.  
"Alright," Legolas said. "If you're not hurt, then what is it? Why are you so uncomfortable?"  
Limloeth looked away. "I don't know. It's just a feeling. There's something about this place that just feels… wrong. It's something about the water. It feels... dangerous."  
Legolas looked worried. Limloeth had always had a strong feeling for these kind of things.  
"You think the water is dangerous?" he asked, looking at his little brother and sister writing at the waterside.  
"No, it's not that. It's just the direction of the danger. " She closed her eyes for a moment. "It's coming closer."

Legolas looked at the water. Maybe it was because Limloeth had said something about it, but he felt the approaching danger as well.  
"Lainfea, Lanthir, get away from there," Legolas said.  
"What?" Lanthir looked up and followed his brothers gaze. Lainfea looked as well.  
"Look!" she cried, "Ships!"  
Legolas paled. He got up from the floor, ran towards Lainfea, snatching her off the ground.  
"Corsairs!" he yelled at his brother.  
"RUN!"

* * *

TBC

sam611: never mind your english, mine isn't that good eighter.. Luckily i have a great editor..

Nessa Ar-Feiniel : There is another reason why killing is harder for Limloeth than for the others.. you will find out.. And yes, Legolas has taken the father role.. As he is the eldest.

That was it for today!


	7. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Legolas knew as he ran towards the exit of the cave, closely followed by Lanthir and Limloeth, that running would do no good. As long as they followed the river, the corsairs would follow them, nowingly or not, and they were far too weary now to stay ahead for long. Leaving the river wasn't an option either, for it would leave them lost in the mountains of Mordor.

So what now? Legolas slowed his run to a walk, and Lanthir and Limloeth followed suit.  
Legolas turned. "We have to hide and wait until they have passed. They probably haven't seen us yet. Come on!" He moved back into the cave.

"Lainfea!" Legolas said as he reached a crack in the wall of the cave. "Lainfea, you'll hide in here."  
The elfling in his arms looked at the crevice. "But it is dark in there," she said with a small voice. Legolas put her on the ground and kneeled to look her in the eyes. "You'll have to be brave, little one. Just sit and wait until me, or Limloeth, or Lanthir come to get you. Do not make a sound, and do not move. Can you be that brave?" Lainfea nodded.  
Legolas quickly hugged her and kissed the top of her head. "Good girl."

When she crawled into the crack Legolas could she she shook with fear. He knew how much he asked of her. Lainfea was at the age where she feared the dark, frightened of hidden monsters that might lurk there. When Legolas had been at that age his father had sat with him, telling him there were no monsters hidden in the dark. Legolas knew now that that was a lie. There were always monsters hidden in the dark, but not necessarily worse monsters than the ones out in the open.

"Be brave," he whispered once more to Lainfea, before pushing a large rock in front of the crevice, concealing its existence.  
"Wait," Limloeth said, before he could close the fissure. "Someone should go with her. We can't leave her alone locked up in the dark."  
"Well, I'm not going!" Lanthir said immediately.  
"I meant myself," Limloeth said.  
Legolas thought quickly. Limloeth would be able to comfort Lainfea, and she would not be of much use when it came to a battle. If she had difficulty killing orcs, then killing humans was out of the question.  
"Good," he said. "You join Lainfea." Legolas gave Limloeth a short hug as well. "Be strong," he said.  
"And you," Limloeth replied as she turned and crept into the crack.  
Legolas moved the rock until it closed off the fissure, leaving a tiny area open for air to get in, but not enough for it to give away the crack's presence. Limloeth and Lanifea would not be found now.

"Alright," Lanthir said, "now let us find a place to hide as well." There were no more cracks big enough to fit an elf in, so both he and Lanthir has to settle for hiding behind large boulders. Legolas kept an eye on the river and watched as the Corsair ships slowly came closer. He send a silent prayer to the Valar, "Please, don't let them see us. Please, PLEASE!"

The ships came gradually nearer.  
Near enough for Legolas' sharp elven hearing to pick up what the Corsairs were discussing. During the years of his captivity he had picked up quite a few words of the Black Speech, though every time he heard it, the dark language assaulted his Elven ears. However, because of this, he could understand what was being said.

Legolas thanked the Valar when he heard that they were not talking about escaped prisoners or elves, they were just discussing a place to set up camp. Legolas and his siblings had not been discovered thus far. Legolas relaxed the slightest bit.

Suddenly, the blood in his veins froze as one of the corsairs pointed at the cave they were hiding in.  
"What about that cave?" the human said."That seems like a perfect place for a camp."

* * *

Legolas crawled towards his brother and pulled him deeper into the cave. "They are coming this way!" Lanthir nodded. He had witnessed the conversation as well.

As the first corsairs entered the cave, the two elves retreated as far back as they could. However, that wasn't very far, as the cave was not a large one. Legolas looked at the crack where Limloeth and Lainfea where hidden, and was satisfied to see the rock he had placed before it made the crack almost invisible.

Lanthir motioned to him and pointed at an object laying in the middle of the cave.  
It was their waterskin. It was also a clear sign telling the Corsairs someone had been in this cave recently, as water was still flowing out of it to wet the dry dirt floor. Before Legolas could do anything to stop him, Lanthir leapt out of his hiding place and sneaked towards the skin.

He had almost made it to the middle of the cave without being seen when a corsair spotted him and yelled an alarm. Immediately, seven other Corsairs started running towards Lanthir, who stood up and waited for them, his knife gripped tightly in his hand.

Legolas whipped out the two orc-knives, he had carried on his back since they had escaped the rison. He would not let his brother stand alone. The corsairs were too fixed on Lanthir to notice him until he slit the throat of the nearest one. Using his knives where he could, he moved towards Lanthir, until the two Thranduillion stood back to back, facing about seventy Corsairs. "Well," Legolas said to Lanthir. "I believe I can finally even the score."

* * *

moonshine44 : well I have updated it.. I hope you'll love this one too.  
Nessa Ar-Feiniel: what's next? well, lets just says.. it is a loooooooong way home.. and a dangerous one..  
sam611: yes corsairs want to hurt elfs.. they make a good prize on the slavemarket..  
Randa-Chan: Thanks!!!


	8. Chapter 7

Chapter seven.

The two elves fought the corsairs moving in a rapid, deadly dance. They turned, ducked and stabbed their knives in a complex pattern that only they could understand. When in battle, Legolas thought of his brother not as a individual, but as an extended body part, that would pick up where he left off.  
Legolas had heard tales of two elvish warriors that became one in a battle.  
He had also heard of the battle of the Last Alliance where thousands of Elven spearman had moved together as if they had one mind. But he was not thinking about those fights anymore. All he was thinking about was this one. A battle that was imperative to win. All he focused on was the next move.

It was a highly effective way of fighting, because the two elves would always move faster than the clumsy and heavier Corsairs. They ducked and parried with excellent skill, just as they had practiced together for the twenty years of their captivity after they were locked in their cell for the night. But even their superior speed and skill was not enough. Both elves had suffered greatly the past score of years. The flesh wound on Legolas' neck made by the orc-guard during their escape from the prison had started bleeding again, and black spots disturbed his vision, making it increasingly difficult to focus on the moves of the corsairs.

But most of all, the numbers of corsairs where just impossible.  
Lanthir ducked a knife-thrust from one of them and moved out of the way, when he suddenly stumbled on the body of a corsair that either he or his brother had killed earlier. When he tried to recover, he forgot to pay attention to the corsairs behind him.

When Legolas heard his brother yelling, his attention was drawn away immediately from the battle. He could see his brother as a separate person again. A separate person very dear to him, now lying on the floor with closed eyes.

There was only one reason, and one point in time, when elves would close their eyes. Because they could not open them.  
Because they were dead.

The world seemed to stop. Legolas didn't think about ducking and evading anymore. All he could think of was reaching his brother and killing all who stood in the way. Everything happened in a blur. A couple of corsairs tried to stop him, but he payed no attention to them. It was like his knives were moving of their own accord. His arms formed patterns that Legolas' mind could no longer understand. All Legolas knew was that Lanthir was lying on the cold, hard ground.

A knife sliced his arm, but he didn't feel it. The pain there was nothing compared to the pain in his chest, in his heart. Nothing compared to the loss of Lanthir.  
Then he felt something come in contact with his head, and the world went black.

* * *

When Legolas woke, his feet and wrists were chained together making it almost impossible for him to move. He remembered being chained this way a long time ago, when the corsairs had transported his mother, and siblings to Mordor.  
The thought of Lanthir brought back the memory of his death.  
Legolas thought the weight of his grief would crush him.  
He had failed his little brother. He had failed his family. It had been his task to get his brother and sisters out of Mordor, but he had failed.

A sharp kick in the ribs abrubtly stopped his train of thoughts.  
"Where are the others?" the corsair towering above him asked.  
"What others?"  
The consair dropped Lanthir's backpack in front of him. "Four blankets," he said. "And... girlie clothes. You and the dead one are male. My friends and I, we are not really interested in males. You will make a good price on the slavemarket, but that's about it. What we are interested in, are the females.  
So..." the man smiled wickedly as he continued.  
"Where. Did. You. Hide. The. Girls?" The cruel man punctuated each word with a sharp kick in the ribs, but he received no answer. The last thing Legolas wanted was to fail his sisters as well. He shivered when he saw the look into the corsair's eyes each time he said the word "girls."He thought about his sisters hidden in the opening behind the rock.

If he didn't tell the corsairs about them, they would die. There was no way Limloeth would be able to move the rock from the inside of the crack. They would die, and Legolas would be responsible for their deaths as well. His heart and soul was ripped to shreds when he thought of how badly he had failed them. How he would cause the death of the last two people he loved that were still alive.

But it was still better than to give their position away to the corsairs, and so he kept his lips shut, condemning them to death. The corsairs were beating him, but he didn't feel it. His thoughts were too overwhelming, all consumingly fixed upon his siblings. Lainfea would never see the stars.

She would die in a dark cave on the edge of the free world, in which he himself had put her and told her to be brave. She would never grow up to know the kindness and happiness the world had in store for her.

He thought of Limloeth, and how she would never see the trees of their homeland again. Never walk amongst the forest beside the river and gaze at the stars up above.

He also thought of Lanthir, who, given the chance, would have probably grown up to become a strong and powerful warrior, yet wise and intelligent at the same time. But he would never have that chance. None of them would, and it was all his fault.

Legolas retreated inside himself, shutting off the entire world and refusing to make any sound as the beating continued. Then, hours, maybe days later, the corsairs gave up. The wind had changed in their favor, they would have to get on board to depart. One of them grabbed Legolas and threw him onto the deck.

Legolas looked at the cave, at the dead body of Lanthir, still laying there, pale and still on the ground,  
and the rock he had placed to close off his sister's hiding place. As the ships started moving he realized he couldn't do it. "WAIT!" he shouted at the top of his lungs. "WAIT! My sisters are in there, behind that rock! JUST WAIT! DON"T LEAVE THEM!" The corsair that had been in charge of hisquestioning suddenly appeared at his side.  
"You'll talk now??" he asked.  
"Yes, "Legolas answered, knowing that his sisters would forever blame him. "My sisters. They are inside the cave. Please, PLEASE get them out. "  
The consair shook his head.  
"Too late. We won't stop the ship now. The wind is finally blowing in the right direction. Your refusal to speak has cost you your sisters. Maybe it will inspire you to loosen your tongue in the future. It has also cost us two valuable slaves. We will not forget it. You will repay the money you've lost.

IN BLOOD."

The words were meant to scare Legolas, but they didn't reach him. All he could see was the cave they were sailing away from. All that was dear to him was left into that cave. His siblings, his hope, his freedom and his soul.

All that was left now of Legolas Thanduillion was empty.

Empty, and dead, like the black plains of Mordor.

* * *

TBC

Randa-Chan: I know you said you don't like character-deaths.... but please keep reading the next two chaptres.. Please??? Than I promise you I will read your stories as well. (As soon as I can find the time to.)

s-belmyne: Thanks!

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: Too bad.. it were the elves who were outnumbered... (this time..) after all they are only elflings ..

Gemini969: Thanks and here is the update..


	9. Chapter 8

Chapter eight.

Legolas was locked up in a small cell below deck. There were no windows. No fresh air. No light. The cell was part of a row of such cells, but none of the others had occupants. This fact had made Legolas conclude that the corsairs were not sailing towards Mordor.

Not that Legolas cared anymore. Without Lanthir, Limloeth or Lainfea, he didn't really have a goal. He had failed his siblings, and so, he no longer deserved to live.

He felt weak and pathetic. He should have moved faster. He should have fought better. He had been over the day of the battle a thousand times in his mind now, analyzing everything he could have done to save his brother. He should have planned better. He should have tried harder.  
He should have died.

He should have died instead of Lanthir. He should have died instead of Limloeth. Instead of Lainfea.

Why had the Valar not let him die instead of them? Why couldn't he have taken their place? Why hadn't they let him die with them, before he had betrayed his sisters?

For he had. He had told the corsairs about Limloeth and Lainfea and it hadn't mattered. He had sold them out for nothing. He had failed his sisters just as he had failed his brother.

For the first few days with the corsairs, he had counted the hours. With every minute passing he had asked himself if this was the minute one of his sisters gave up. If this was the minute Lainfea took her last breath. If this was the moment Limloeth stroked Lainfea's golden hair one last time.

The only few moments of peace he had left were the moments the corsairs had beaten him so badly he was unconscious. Legolas found himself almost longing for those moments. The beatings almost distracted him from the real pain he felt.

When he was young, his father had told him of the way his grandparents had died. He had told him there were two ways an elf could die. The first was to die in battle, like Lanthir had, and Limloeth and Lainfea too, in a way. The second one was to die of grief. To simply fade, until you cease to exist. When he first heard the story, he had thought he would rather die of grief, that from a battlewound, for he had believed it would hurt less.

How wrong he had been. How could he ever have thought a mere fleshwound was anything compared to the pain he felt when he thought of his siblings. This pain wasn't just skin deep. It ached throughout his entire body and soul.

He could feel his heart giving up. Every time he though of Lanthir, Limloeth or Lainfea, he could almost hear his heartbeat slow down as the despair washed over him.  
But Legolas didn't care. If he would die, he would leave Middle Earth and go to the Halls of Mandos, here he would see his siblings again.  
Where his pain would disappear.  
He smiled for the first time in days as he had a vision of Lainfea running towards him and jumping into his arms. He would spin her around, until they were both dizzy, like his father had done with Limloeth when she was younger.  
Then he would put her onto the ground and she would take his hand and lead him towards Limloeth and Lanthir.

Both of them would sit with all the great elves of the past; their grandfather Oropher, King Gil-galad. King Finrod Felagund, as well as King Thingol. Limloeth would sit quietly and respectfully in the corner, listening to all these great kings of old, and smile her warmest smile at him when he and Lainfea would enter. Lanthir would stand in the middle of the room, asking the kings all kinds of questions. About battles they had fought in, about their lives, and about things like the air-velocity of swallows. His brother would turn, run towards him and pull him into the circle, forcing him to join the discussion.

There would be no pain. There would be no hurt. There would be no hate. There would be Legolas, Lanthir, Limloeth and Lainfea together were they should be.  
And his mother would look after them, because she would be there as well.

It was the thought of his mother that made his heart stop in the end. The last thing he saw, was a lady coming walking soundlessly towards him. All Legolas could see of her were her eyes.  
Big, beautiful, brown eyes.  
He knew those eyes.

They belonged to…

"Nana," Legolas whispered,  
and his eyes closed.

* * *

TBC

sam611: Here. Have a Kleenex.

moonshine44: Am I really going to kill them? Wait and see... Tomorrow I will post again.

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: Ha! I will not tell you anything... Well not untill tomorrow in chappy 9

Aly K : I'm glad you like it!

That was it for today... No wait.. first a vague hint:  
reread Chapter 1 and keep thinking: Lanthir is not the milkelf's son, Lanthir is not the milkelf's son...If you get it, you will get bonuspoints! (yeah, i don;t know why you would needthose eighter but it sounded cool)

Liek


	10. Chapter 9

Chapter nine.

Voices penetrated through the dark void of Legolas' mind. It took him a while to recognize them, but then he remembered. He was in Valinor now. The voices of the dead would speak. Legolas smiled. He looked forward to hearing the lovely voice of his mother again. But first, he heard…  
-Limloeth-  
"I'm older than you are!"  
-Lanthir-  
"Who got you out of that crack? I did. Who was smart, faked his death and saved the day? Me! So who should be in charge until Legolas regains consciousness? I should!"  
"You annoying little brat! Like you could have done it all alone! Like it was you saving Legolas from the corsairs!"  
"Well, I helped!"  
"Of course you did! But so did Lainfea! You might as well suggest Lainfea to be in charge!"  
"Well, she is a lot better at killing orcs than you are!"  
"OH! That was LOW, LANTHIR!"

Legolas felt cold and wet and somehow he hadn't expected Vanilor to feel like this. He had thought of it as a land of peace.  
The bickering continued.  
He heard his sister shout, "A curse on the stiff necks of boys," and he thought about what his mother would say.

Then he felt a small hand stroke his hair and he heard the soft whisper of one of the voices most dear to him.  
Legolas..." Lainfea said. Her voice sounded grim. "Legolas, you need to wake up."  
"Lainfea..." Legolas lips formed the word, but no sound came out.  
"Lanthir and Limloeth are screaming all the time, and it is not good. My clothes are still wet and I want my boots off, but I can't because there is a knot in my laces I can't fix, and no one is helping me. You have to wake up, Legolas! You have to wake up and make everything right."  
Legolas felt the hands stroking his hair tremble a little.

Elflings didn't get cold so easily. Why did no one help Lainfea? Why didn't someone tell Limloeth and Lanthir to stop agruing and pay attention to their sister? Where was his mother?  
"Nana..." Legolas managed to say, and this time his lips actually made a sound.  
Lanthir and Limoeth immediately stopped fighting.

"He is delirious again," Legolas could hear Limloeth say.  
"Can't you do anything about it?" Lanthir asked, his voice worried.  
"I'm not a healer, Lanthir," Limloeth said.  
"But you healed the stabwound I got!" Lanthir protested.  
"I just put some herbs on it and I eased the pain a little. That's not healing."  
"Well it feels a lot better. Just put some herbs on Legolas then. Ease his pain a little."  
"Lanthir! Stop ordering me around! I already did that and it is not working. It's like his body resists them. Like he doesn't want to heal."

Legoals heard their voices, but the meaning of what they were saying did not get though. He wanted to ask his siblings if they too thought Valinor did not live up to their expectations, but all his throat allowed was to say the word "Valinor".

Lanthir and Limloeth paled as they looked at each other.  
"No Legolas, you can't go there!" Lanthir said. "I will not allow it! You have to stay here! We need you!"  
Limloeth didn't say anything but placed her hands on his chest.  
The touch of her hands was warm and light. He remembered that touch. Limloeth had touched him like that before, on nigth the orcs had to carry him back to their cell, on nights he had felt like he would never be able to move again, Limloeth had touched him, and it had been made better.

He had missed his sister so much when he had been with the corsairs. If he had trusted her to kill, if he hadn't locked her with Lainfea, things might have been different. He had to tell her he was sorry. Her had to.. but his throat refused to form words. Therefore, he stretched out his arm and pulled her close. She laid herself down beside him and lay her head on his shoulder.  
"Lanthir, I can't heal this," she whispered.  
Legolas could feel her shaking, he could hear she was crying.

Lainfea didn't exactly know what was happening, but she could see Limloeth was sad, and it made her feel sad also. She wanted to be comforted as well. She wanted attention. So she wiggled herself between Limloeth and Legolas, where it was nice and warm. Limoeth put one of her arms around her.  
Lanthir wouldn't be left out. He got layed down and rested his head on Legolas' other shoulder.

The oldest elf could feel the warmth of their bodies warm his heart. Maybe Valinor wasn't that bad after all. He suddenly felt he could speak.  
"I'm so sorry I didn't look after you well enough," he said, a bit groggily. "I'm so sorry I've got you all killed."  
Limloeth started telling him that it didn't matter, responding to the tone of his voice, without listening to the words, when Lanthir suddenly interrupted.  
"We're not dead."  
'But.. what... how?" Lanthir's words did not fit into Legolas' reality. The picture of Lanthir lying on the ground with open eyes was forever etched into his mind.  
"I'll explain later when you are feeling better. Just know we're not dead."  
"So, this is not Valinor," Legolas said as he began to understand.  
Limloeth laughed. "No silly. We're in Gondor somewhere."  
Legolas smiled. "Well," he said. "Gondor does not live up to expectations either."  
"Hey..." Lainfea said suddenly."What are all those little lights in the sky?"  
Legolas blinked a few times, then followed her gaze, and for the first time in twenty years he could see the stars.  
"I take back what I said about Gondor. It's beautiful."

* * *

The four elves were asleep, snuggled close to each other. The events of the past few days had taken its toll on the elves, not to mention the twenty years before those days.

They were so exhauseted and hurt that they did not wake up when six horsemen rode by. They did not wake up when those horsemen turned, stopped, and walked towards them. They did not wake up when one of those horsemen checked Lainfea's pulse, to see if she was still alive. And they did not wake up when that horseman shouted something at the others, nor when he and three others lifted them up, pulled them on the horses, and rode off.

* * *

TBC

Aly K: You were supposed to be confused about the milkeelfson's thing. But it is a real hint.. Though a very complicated one. So far, only one person ever understood it. And thanks for your kind review! I'm glad you found my story!

kel: did they die.. well no, but you were supposed to think that, yes..

moonshine44: I know Finrod Felegund was released, but I don't think Legolas did.. I mean, he is still very young and a woodelf. That do they know about Valinor ... Besides, he was dying!

Roguish Smile: Well they are not dead... (yet)

See you all later!

Liek


	11. Chapter 10

Chapter ten

Legolas simply breathed. With every breath he took he thought he could hear Lanthir speak. "We're not dead. We're not dead. We're not dead." The words sang through his body, healing the wounds of his heart and soul. He thought about Lainfea, and how she had seen the stars. He thought about Limloeth, and how she had put her hand upon him, healing him with her touch, and how he had missed her, his strong sister. How could he have ever doubted they would make it? How could he have thought he failed them? As if his siblings would have let him fail them. As if Lainfea would have given up on life in the cave after surviving twenty years in Mordor. As if Lanthir would have died by the hands of a mere corsair. He had been stupid to think so.

Then a woman screamed, distubing his dreams, forcing him to wake up. The world crept into focus and he realized he was not where he had fallen asleep anymore. The room he was in was dark and small and for a moment he thought that he was back with the corsairs. But then he noticed he was lying on a bed.

No corsair would lay a slave on a bed.

He heard little feet run down the hallway and the door of the room cracked open. Lainfea dived in his bed, hiding behind his back, her eyes wide.

"What is it, Lainfea?" He wispered as he looked through the room, trying to find some kind of weapon. His little sister was not easily afraid. She was far too used to torture to fear it. For twenty years pain had been a part of her daily routine. Seeing her afraid and cowering sent shivers of fear through Legolas' body.

The door was opened once again. Legolas made himself as big as he could, trying to hide his little sister, and he braced himself for whatever would come through the door. Then his jaw dropped.

He had expected orcs, or corsairs, or a Balrog even, judging Lainfea's reaction,  
but not the middle-aged smiling human woman that walked in.

"Hello!" the woman said. "I can see you are finally awake, and looking a lot better than you did yesterday, I might add. Oh! Please don't look at me that way, boy! I'm not a monster! Now… were is that little girl?" Legolas said nothing, but continued to stare. The only humans he had ever seen where the slaves and the corsairs. This lady, however was very different from both of them.

She was tall, slender and dark haired. A few of her dark locks had turned grey, and she had a few wrinkles on her face.

"You don't understand a word I say, do you, boy?" the lady continued. "I had hoped that at least one of you... Well nevermind, We'll have to work it out with hands and feet then. Or teeth, like that girlie did. I have never been bitten by an elf before, it would be quite a story to tell my grandchildren about if I had any… but I never had childeren, so… Oh poor sheep!  
You still look exhausted. You four must have been through a lot, I don't even want to think about it. Four elven children found on the borders of Mordor, wearing slave clothes… poor, poor sheep. Just to imagine what you must have gone through makes my heart break. No wonder the little one is a little skittish. Though I mean her no harm of course. I only wanted to bathe her. She just lookes like she could use it. I could easily say there is at least ten years of Mordor filth on her little body…  
You can hardy see the color of her hair through all that dust!  
Oh look at me! I'm just babbling on, and nobody here to understand me. You must all think I'm crazy by now. Jammering on to children that can't even understand me. And now look. I might have woken the others as well."

Legolas shook his head. "I don't think you are crazy. And I do understand."  
he spoke in the Westron he had picked up during his years of captivity. The woman smiled, relieved.

"Ah. Thank Iluvatar. I wondered how I was going to make you understand. I didn't start very well with the little girl... I only wanted to give her a bath you see, but the little girl was very scared. She bit me," she said, showing a bite mark on her hand as proof.

Legolas nodded. He understood now why Lainfea had been so scared. "In Mordor, bath tubs are used to boil prisoners. The orcs consider it fun."  
The woman paled.  
"So you really were in Mordor then. Poor, poor sheep. But you are safe now. Well, you can tell that little girl I mean to do no such thing. The idea! But I can hope you can convince your sister-  
is she your sister? I just assumed she was your sister.. You look so alike! The same blue eyes… same haircolor…  
- that you can convince the girl that she could use a bath. All that Mordor dust does not seem very healthy to me. I'm Biddy. Well actually, my name is a lot longer, but everybody calls me Biddy. So you too may call me Biddy.

Legolas didn't say anything, he just waited for her to stop talking. He had never met anyone who talked so much. He wondered what to think of her. Who was she? Why had he woken up in her house? He could feel Lainfea's hands upon his back. The little girl used the silence to whisper something in elvish. "She was there when I woke up, Legolas. She said all kinds of things  
and then she tried to push me into a boil tub!" Lainfea's voice still sounded very scared. Legoals smiled a little and turned towards her.

"And you bit her," Legolas finised her story in elvish. Lainfea nodded. He smiled and stroked her hair. Biddy was right. It was rather filthy. Legolas looked at his own hands and fingernails. Black. He had never noticed his hands were that filthy. He figured they really could use a bath.

"Lainfea?" he asked, still speaking elvish, ignoring the woman in the doorway. "Do you know where Limloeth and Lanthir are?"  
Lainfea nodded. "They were with me in the other room."  
"Go get them for me, Little one. We are in need of a family meeting. The elfling jumped off the bed, and ran towards the door, moving as far away from Biddy as she could.

Legolas looked at the woman. "I just told my sister to fetch my other siblings. I don't know why you are keeping us here, but I promise you, if any of them are hurt during our stay here, you will pay for it.  
In blood."

Biddy looked at him, her face suddenly very stern. Her voice changed, it now sounded kingly and mature.  
"My husband, Artamir, found the four of you lying on the riverbank. You looked hurt, cold and hungry. From the kindness of our hearts we offered you a place here. To heal and to gather strength. You may stay here as long as you wish, but I will not be spoken to thus. I mean you, or your siblings no harm. Do you understand?"

Legolas did not look away. He glared into her eyes, trying to see what was hidden beneath, trying to understand the hidden meaning behind her words.  
When he found none he nodded.

"Well," Biddy said, back to her cheerful self. "This would all be much easier if I had names to call you by."

"My name is Celeborn," Legolas said, using the first name that popped into his head that had nothing to do with him or his family. Then he nodded at Limloeth and Lanthir, who had entered the room shortly before with Lainfea. "That is my sister Galadriel, and my brother Finrod. The little one is Melian."

He might have seen no hidden meanings in Biddy's eyes, but it didn't mean he would trust her.

"Oh, and one more thing," he added, imitating his fathers kingly voice. "We will never, ever be reffered to as sheep.  
Now, let us see that bath you spoke of."

* * *

TBC

Aly K : Thank you so much for your kind words.. and of course, the reason I don't make you wait long for the next chapter is because I hunger for reviews.

Roguish Smile: Don't worry, I will tell you how.. sooner or later.

moonshine44: Yes I like cliffhangers.. I like to stopat bad places and imaging the looks of my audience.. (grin)

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: No, I'm sorry, Aragorn wasn't born yet. But Artamir and Biddy a re good people as well.

Karone Evertree: Thanks, Thanks,Thanks!AND yes.. really like clifhangers.. There are much more to follow..

Trista: I'm glad I made your day! Hope you like this chapter too.

Moriarwen : Well the waiting is over.

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: They are from Osgiliath... as for the rest.. I'm not telling

kel: You be the judge.

That was it.. see you tomorrow!


	12. Chapter 11

Chapter 11

Legolas looked at his siblings, finally cleansed of twenty years of dirt and grime, so that the true golden color of their hair now showed. But the absence of Mordor filth showed him other things. The lack of sun in Mordor had made them all look very pale, as well as there were dark circles under the eyes of all of them, and healing wounds on each of their bodies.  
But that was not what startled Legolas the most. Most of all he was shocked to see how young they looked. How young they were.

"What are you looking at?" Lanthir whispered.  
"You. You are all so young," Legolas answered faintly.  
Lanthir shot him a glare. "I'm not young."  
"Yes, you are."  
"No, I'm not."  
"Valar! If you still start discussions like this then you must be an infant! Just look at Lainfea then, if you don't believe me."  
"Don't you mean 'Melian'?"  
"Fine, Look at Melian. If you see her lying like that, can you believe she killed an orc? She earned warrior-braids. Can you believe it?"

Lanthir looked at Lainfea, lying on one of the beds, her thumb stuck in her mouth, and her eyes half-lidded in the sleep of the elves. He could see what Legolas meant now.  
"You're right. If I hadn't seen it myself, I would never have believed her killing orcs and corsairs…"  
"Excuse me?" Legolas interrupted.  
"What?"  
"Did you say: corsairs?"  
"Yes."  
"When did Lainfea - ehmm - Melian, kill corsairs?"  
"Oh... um... just the other day when you were captured. She… eh, had to... because we... ehmm, sort of forgot about something... Tiny little fact. "

Legolas looked at his brother sternly. "That's it, Lanth... Finrod.  
You will tell me everything that happened while I was with those corsairs. No, even better, you will start by telling what happend when you fell on the ground during the fight. I want to know everything."

"Tell you everything… well… during the fight I suddenly stumbled on a corsair, and as I tried to recover myself, two other corsairs closed in on me. I felt one of their blades stab me in the back, and the pain just made me fall on the ground."  
"I saw that."  
"I know."  
"I almost faded at the spot."  
"I know."  
"I thought you were dead."  
"I know."  
" But you weren't."  
" I know," Lanthir said, and he smiled sadly as he continued.  
"But I didn't know it at that time. I thought I was dead for sure. The pain in my back was killing me and knew I couldn't get up. All I could think of was how I failed you. How I didn't keep fighting until the end. How impossible the odds were for you now. And then I remembered Lim and Lain and I realized something. If you didn't make it, there would be no hope for them. No one would get them out of that stupid crack. Just me, if the corsairs didn't take me, and I stayed alive long enough. And the only slave that corsairs do not take with, is a dead slave. So I closed my eyes, pretented to be dead, and tried to stay alive in the meantime. It was very hard."

"It must have been,"Legolas said as he remembered something. "I believe a corsair stepped on you once or twice."

"They stepped on me seven times and kicked me trice. But that was not the hardest part, brother. The hardest part was when I could hear you fall to the earth. When I could hear you being tortured and when I knew our only hope lay in me not moving. I wanted to get up so badly, and rid those monsters of their heads, but I thought about Limloeth and Lainfea and stayed quiet. The only reason I didn't move and scream, was because you didn't. The only reason I was strong because you were. I had to be strong like you."

Legolas swallowed. With a hoarse voice he said: "I wasn't strong. I told those corsairs where the girls were. I betrayed them. The corsairs just didn't turn back."  
Lanthir nodded slowly and placed his hand on Legolas'arm. "I understand why you did it. You didn't know I was alive. You didn't know there was hope still. No one can blame you for trying to keep your sisters alive in the only way you could."  
"I can," Legolas said, his voice sinking to a whisper.  
"But you won't," Lanthir answered. "Because blaming yourself is stupid and it gets you nowhere."  
"Limloeth and Lainfea might blame me, if they knew."  
"Limloeth blame someone? Are we talking about our oldest sister here? She didn't even blame the orcs for abusing us! And Lainfea? Lainfea doesn't linger in the past. She accepts it and moves on. It is as I told you, brother. No one will blame you. "

"So what happend next? You were lying on the ground pretending to be dead?"  
Lanthir paused, gathering his story, before answering. "When the corsairs sailed away, following the river Poros, I stayed down until I was sure no one would see me. Then, I slowly drug myself to my feet. The wound in my back was still bleeding heavily, and it took me all my strength to get up from the  
ground. I had to stop recover for about five minutes once I was on my feet just because of the pain of my injury, but somehow I managed to move that rock away from Limloeth and Lainfea's hiding place.  
It was as if I suddenly had more strength than I had ever had before.

As soon as there was enough room to get Limloeth out, the hidden reserve of strength was gone.  
I must have passed out afterwards, because there's a blank spot in my memory… Limloeth will have to fill that one for you. All I know that I felt Limloeth's hand upon me and that my wound was healed when I woke up.  
Limloeth is still saying she just put herbs on it and eased the pain, but that is not what happened. The wound was not better, Legolas, it was healed.  
Limoeth healed it with her hands, no matter what she said.

Anyway... that's how I survived and how I got the girls out of the crack. How we got you away from the corsairs, is an entirely different story, and it'll have to wait until tomorow, when Limloeth is awake to tell you."

"You mean Galadriel," Legolas corrected him.  
Lanthir laughed. "You might just have told Biddy our real names. There is no way I'll remember what to call you all."  
"The orcs captured us because they knew our real names. They tortured us, spit on us, and used us as slaves for twenty years because they realized we were the chidren of the elven king. That will not happen again, Finrod."  
"I know that, Celeborn. But I'm not the only one who forgot during this conversation, and I'm only saying that Galadriel, and most of all Melian will have difficulty remembering also. After all... the little one is only twenty years old."

Legolas sighed.  
"I know, Fin, but we'll just have to try. Just because Biddy is nice, doesn't mean she can be trusted."

* * *

TBC

I'd like to thank all the persons who reviewed.. You really made my day! I'm sorry I don't have time to answer more personally, but I promise I will make it up to you tommorrow.. See you then!

Liek


	13. Chapter 12

Chapter 12

When Legolas woke up, a tall man was sitting in a chair in a corner of the room. The man had  
dark messy hair, blue eyes, and a rough beard. Legolas looked into his eyes as he stifled a yawn.

"Are you awake now, boy?" the man asked.  
"Yes," Legolas answered slowly, taking in this new man.  
"Good. It's hard to judge, with you sleeping with your eyes open," the man said for an explanation.  
Legolas shrugged. He had never had a problem with that.

"I'm Artamir, one of the rangers of South-Ithilien. It was me who found you at the riverbank."  
"Hmm..." Legolas said, taking in this new information.  
"Biddy says you don't trust us."  
"Biddy says a lot of things," Legolas answered with a small grin.  
Artamir smiled a grin of his own at that comment. "She does, doesn't she?  
Listen. You were found on the banks of the river Poros. Biddy tells me you were slaves in Mordor. That means you have been through a lot. I will not ask you to trust us, because it is probably no use anyway. But I want you to consider a few things," Artamir said.  
"I don't know were you're from, And I don't think you will tell me,but I know one thing. You are in Osgiliath now, which is a long way from all the Elven terriories. It isn't an easy way either. "

Legolas nodded. He knew that, and it had been an increasing worry in his mind.

Artamir continued. "What I want you to consider, is to stay here for a while. Biddy and I love children. Unfortunatly we are not able to have any of our own, so it would be a win-win situation. We could take care of you for a while, and you could build up strength. You could even go take lessons, for there is a school nearby."

Legolas shook his head. "We will leave as soon as we're rested."  
"Is that smart, boy?" Artamir asked. "Is that responsible? "  
Legolas found that being called "boy" by someone you are at least a few years older than is very irritating. "We will make it."  
Artamir shook his head. "You might. You're oldest sister might. Your little brother might. But what about the little one? Will she make it, as small as she is?"  
"She survived Mordor! We all did!"  
"You survived Mordor, so now you can't die? Is that it? Is that what you think?" Artamir was starting to look angry now. "Well that's not true, boy!  
You can still die. And If you move too fast, you will!"

"What do you know!" Legolas shouted. "You don't know a thing about us! You don't know who we are! You don't know were we come from! You don't know what we have been through! What gives you the right to interfere with our business? You know nothing about us! NOTHING!"

"I know one thing about you," Artamir said, his voice quieter now. "I found you unconscious on a riverbank, wet, hurt, starved, and covered in blood. The lips of the little one were blue because of the cold. When I first saw you, I thought you were dead. If I hadn't found you, if I hadn't convinced the others to take you here, you would have been just that.  
I can see that you care for your siblings. It was visible in the way you all lay together on the bank. Biddy said the others listen to you. You are their leader. I'm a leader too. And trust me, that if you make a wrong decision and let one of your men die, that decision will hunt you forever.  
Trust me on this, Celeborn. Stay here for a while. What does a year matter when you're immortal?"

"I want to be home," Legolas said, his voice a desperate whisper. "As soon as possible. We are leaving as soon as we're rested."  
"You are too stubborn for you're own good, boy," Artamir said.  
"I'm a Thr…" Legolas swallowed what he was about to say. He had almost given away his identity. He had almost told Artamir he was a Thranduillion, the age-old response of all children of Thranduil to explain their stubbornness.

He got up from his bed and walked away from Artamir. He would have to find his siblings, wake them up and inform them they were leaving.

They couldn't afford near-misses like that. They couldn't afford to get caught again, for they had to make it home. Legolas' hearth longed for the forest of his father, his home.

* * *

In the other room his siblings were still asleep. Legolas sat down beside Limloeth and shook her gently. "Galadriel..." he said and continued whispering in Elvish. "Lim, we have to go. Wake up."

Limloeth blinked a couple of times, shaking herself into wakefulness.  
"Legolas?"  
"Yes Lim. Wake up. We have to move." Legolas was a little concered as he saw that the dark circles under Limloeth's eyes still hadn't disappeared.  
"I can't move," Limloeth said.  
"Sure you can. We have to go. We should leave for Greenwood tonight."  
"I can't move," Limloeth repeated.  
"What do you mean?" Legolas asked angrily. "We have to! We have to make it to Greenwood before winter falls."  
"I can't move," Limloeth said once more, her voice now desperate.  
"Please Legolas, I mean it! Please… Can't we just stay here for a while?"  
"You have been talking to Artamir! He talked you into this! How can you listen to him! We will make it, Limloeth. We will."  
Limloeth just shook her head. "I will not" she whispered. "I'm empty and drained, and I can't move. If you go now, I will not come with you."

Legolas stared at her. "How can you do this to me?" he whispered fiercely.  
We survived Mordor! How can you give up now?"  
"I'm not giving up!" Limloeth said sharply. "I just need to recover! You have no idea, brother! You have know idea how much strength I used these past few days!"  
Legolas looked confused, but Limloeth didn't notice. She just continued, her eyes full of tears.  
"To you it is all so easy! To you and Lanthir and even Lainfea. You just kill like it is nothing, like you don't care! I can not do that, Legolas. I feel them... I can feel their soul slip away. I can feel the effect their death has on me. I can feel its darkness in my soul, and I can't move.  
I could feel the souls of the corsairs move in that cave, and I wasn't even the one that had killed them! They moved through me, weakening my abilities.  
And then Lanthir was mortally wounded and I had to heal him, leaving me drained and weak. But we still had to save you.  
You have no idea what we went through saving you."

Legolas wrapped him arms around his crying sister, rocking her back and forth.  
"Then tell me," he said, his plans of leaving forgotten.  
"Tell me, so I may understand."

* * *

TBC..

Rutu: Thank you so much.. review like that really make my day. "Highly recommandig this story to others? WOW.. I'm feeling very good about myself now..

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: LOL.. keeps her mouth shut not to spoil anything

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur : No sorry, I can't post twice in one day.. But I like the fact you like it so much.. Thank you.

Aly K: You flatter me. Thank you so much!

Karone Evertree: Well you got your wish: Interaction! And thank you so much for your kind words.

Moriarwen: I like Biddy too.BTW.. I really like you description of sheep.. clouds on legs..

* * *

As for the reviews of chapter 9.. I promised I would make up, but due to lack of time.. I'll only answer those who didn't review chap 10 as well.

Kel: Thanks, and poor Biddy. She was only trying to be nice.

moonshine44: Sheep.. Well they are adorible.. from a distance.. But they never look were they are going, tend to stand on your feet act, very stubborn and kind of stupid..

Sam611: hmmm keep kleenes in handy for following chapters..


	14. Chapter 13

Chapter 13

"We were stuck in the darkness," Limloeth started her story, "and we had no idea what was going on. No sound penetrated the rock that closed of the entrance, and no light. It was as if we had ceased to exist. I couldn't see Lainfea, I could only feel her holding me. I could feel she was scared as she gripped me a lot tighter than necessary. Ages went by as every minute seemed to last forever. I was praying to the Valar for the corsairs to sail away without seeing us. And then I felt them…Souls fleeing away from their bodies. I could feel their pain, their anger.  
They were moving closer, surrounding us.

But then we heard Lanthir scream. Lainfea got really scared, and she tried to get out. She trew herself at the rock trying force her way out."  
Legolas shivered. He had seen the bruises on Lainfea's upper body. "She threw herself at the rock?" Limloeth nodded.  
"I grapped her and tried to calm her, but she didn't stop. She kept whispering that she had to get to Lanthir, and to you, to help."

Limloeth was silent for a while, trapped in memories. Legolas sat beside her silently, stroking her hair, waiting until she was ready.

"I pulled Lainfea on my lap and held her close. Then I sang to her. Nana's song. Do you still remember Nana's song?"  
Legolas nodded. He started singing, his soft voice causing the notes of the song to be carried throughout the room.

"If you're stranded in the darkness,  
And the wolves have come,  
Just remember, Elvish baby,  
Just remember to be strong.

If all the stars are veiled,  
And their light is gone,  
Just remember, Elvish baby,  
Just remember to hold on.

For where there is light,  
Darkness will fade,  
And where there is you,  
There is light.

If you're ever lost, my sweetheart,  
If you're ever scared, my child,  
Just remember, Elvish baby,  
Just remember to shine bright."

Limloeth smiled sadly. "I didn't remember that last verse. I didn't sing it to Lainfea…" at these words, her voice broke into sobs. Legolas pulled her closer.  
"Hush, Lim, you did great. I'm sure Lainfea calmed down. I'm sure it worked. It was a very smart idea."

"I miss her so much," Limloeth said, meaning their nana.  
"We all do," Legolas said. "You know, when I was with the corsairs, I thought I saw her. She walked towards me and looked at me with her beautiful brown eyes, and everything was good again."  
"You must have been dreaming," Limoeth said, her tears slowly ceasing.  
"It was a very good dream," Legolas answered.  
"Do you want to know what really happened?" Limloeth said quietly.  
Legolas nodded.

"I sang to Lainfea until she fell asleep into my arms. When I stopped singing, the corsair's souls came back to haunt me again, so I had to start once more. The singing seemed to keep them away. I sang all the songs I knew, and when I ran out, I sang them over.  
Then the rock that closed of your hiding place moved and I had to stop. I was so relieved when I saw it was Lanthir opening it, that I jumped out and threw myself at him. He fainted."

Legolas nodded. "He told me he was mortally wounded. He told me you healed him."  
Limloeth shrugged. "I think so."  
"You think so? You healed a mortal wound and that's all you can say? How did you do that? Who taught you?"  
"No one taught me, Legolas, I just knew what to do. It's like falling asleep. No one has ever taught you how to do it, you just know. I can't explain. I could just feel what needed to be done, so I did it, but it took all my strength and I collapsed onto the ground. Lainfea woke me and Lanthir by throwing the content of the waterskin over our heads."

Legolas laughed. "She is something, that little sister of ours."  
Limloeth agreed. "She's very practical," and much softer she added, "Enough to be annoying," which caused Legolas to laugh even louder. Limloeth smiled at his laughter. It was so good to hear again. She had missed it greatly.

"When Lanthir told us the corsairs had taken you, we started running. We followed the river as fast as we could, taking only water and food. I wanted to carry Lainfea, but I wasn't up to it so she ran herself. We ran for three days straight before we could finally see the corsair's ships in the distance."

"Lainfea ran for three days straight?" Legolas aksed incredulously.  
"And she didn't complain once," Limloeth added. "But I knew we couldn't keep running forever. I could see Lainfea burning up. It was frightening, seeing her lips dry up and crack, but her back and forehead were soaking wet. When I suggested a stop she just let herself fall to the ground. Lanthir and I were very worried about her, but she pulled through."

Legolas looked sideways to his youngest sister. She had woken up and had silently listened to Limloeth. "So," he said to her. "You have ran a long way, haven't you?" Lainfea nodded.  
"And Lanthir said I was very good at it."  
"Did he now?" Legolas smiled. "Well he must have been right then."  
Lainfea smiled proudly.

"But running is not the only thing Lainfea is good at, is it?" Limloeth said. "Lainfea is also a very good sneak."  
Lainfea nodded.  
"A good sneak? Now there's a story I want to hear," Legolas said. "Will you sit on my lap as Limloeth tells the story?" he asked the elfling.  
She nodded and quickly moved from her bed to theirs.

"When we were resting, I could see the corsair's ships manuvering between the mountains. At some places the walls were extremely close to the ship.  
The ships had to move very slow not to hit any of the sharp rocks on the bottom of the river, so when we moved again, we had a chance to get ahead of them.

As it grew dark, they couldn't go on, because the risk of running into something was too great. That's when we snuck in."

Legolas was shocked. "You snuck into a corsair ship? Are you insane?  
Did you have any idea just how dangerous that was?"  
Limloeth nodded.  
"Then why did you do it?"  
"Because we had to save you, you idiot! Don't even think we would have left you there to die!"

* * *

TBC..

Well since you write in reliews you would want me to post twice a day.. Today i actually might... That is.. If you are all nice and review this one.. (I will pst the second chapt today somewere at night... like say 02.00 at night, European time. )

Aly K: You will see Thranduil at the end of this story.. I'll promise you that. But the story will be about 40 chapters long.. So it might take a while..

Karone Evertree: OH! Elvish words! I would love that! (But I wouldn't understand them.. so I would love a translation too..) Or just English.. Or Dutch...

s-belmyne : I love the fact you love my story! It is good to know it is read.

Moriarwen: LOL I don't think Biddy will. LOL.

moonshine44: Yes Lim is a healer..

Rutu: WOW your reviews always made me smile.. And I will post twice today.. (just for once) If I'll get nice reviews and FFnet allows it, that is. And yes Legolas almost always is the youngest. and he rarely has sisters. And in the stories he isn't the youngest he is an only child.. But that just didn't seem right to me. So this is my take on it.

Sam611: Yes, they are safe now.. BUT>> this story will be 40 chapters long: Enough to have a lot of Kleenex moments!

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: Yes he is. And he misses his Ada..


	15. Chapter 14

Chapter 14

Limloeth took a long time to gather her story, making sure that everything that had happened was clear in her mind. She took such a long time that Lainfea crawled half out of her brother's lap to pinch her sister in the arm.

"Ouch!" Limloeth said, looking at her sister with a startled gaze. "Why did you do that?"  
"You have to wake up," the little one stated matter-of-factly. "Wake up and tell Legolas about  
the mean people."  
"I wasn't sleeping, Lain. I was thinking. It is a hard story to tell. I don't know how to start it."  
"You should start with words," Lainfea suggested simply and helpfully, making Legolas smile.

His youngest sister had a way to simplify a problem to a level she could understand and solve it.  
"Things aren't always simple, Lainfea," Limloeth tried to explain.  
"Sure it is!" the elfling protested. "There were boats and we sneaked onto them.  
The mean people didn't see us, because we sneaked very good. We tried to get to you but there were too many mean people, and we needed keys. I sneaked some more and got the keys, and Limloeth magicked their drinks so they fell asleep. Then she got you out of the cage and we jumped of the ship. That's the story." Lainfea climbed out of Legolas' lap and slid off the bed.

"Now I have to go," she announced. "Biddy and I are going to bake cookies!"

Legolas watched her as she skipped off. After the bathtub incident the other day, Biddy and Lainfea had fast become friends, though it was a friendship primarily based upon cookies. Lainfea had tasted them for the first time in her life and had decided that people that baked things so nice couldn't possibly be evil.

Legolas envied her trust in people. He envied her innocence. Just the same, he was exceedingly worried. He knew better than to trust people by the cookies they baked. He worried what it would do to Lainfea if it turned out Biddy and Artamir weren't nice at all.

"They can be trusted," Limloeth said, as if she was following his thoughts.  
"How do you know?" Legolas asked, doubt still eating at his heart.  
"I can feel it," His sister answered simply. "Now, did you understand anything of Lainfea's story?" she continued with a smile.

"She sneaked around, and you got me out. Oh, and she's going to bake cookies," Legolas answered with a smile of his own.  
Limloeth laughed. "Basically what she told you is what happened. In a slightly more complicated way.

When we got on the corsair ship, we could only hope it was the right one, but before we could do anything, we had to find a place to hide somewhere below deck.  
Lanthir led the way and found the supply room. It was a perfect hiding place, because there was food there, and shelter as well. The only downside of it was that the corsairs entered on a daily basis, so we always had to be on our guard.  
Lanthir and I didn't get any sleep. We were far too nervous, and we had to search for you. After three days on the ship, Lanthir returned to our hiding place telling us that he had found you, but had been unable to reach you."

"You were unconscious and chained when I discovered you," Lanthir interrupted the story. He had woken up somewhere halfway through Limloeth's narrative, and now felt he should add his part.  
"Seven corsairs guarded you at all times, sometimes even more. When I saw them, I thought it was hopeless. I got back to Lim and Lain and asked them if they still wanted to go on. I'm sorry, Legolas." His face fell as he said these words, the full brunt of his failure washing over him. "I asked them if we should abandon you. I didn't mean to be a coward. It's just… What if we got you out, but Lainfea died? You told us to leave you behind if you should fall, and I understood. It's just... I didn't want to! I thought maybe, you would want us to..." His brother stopped talking.

"It is alright, Lanthir. I understand," Legolas soothed his brother. He shivered at the thought that one of them would die to save an other. It must have been a hearthbreaking decision his siblings had made to get him out. They took a huge risk.  
"It was I who convinced Lanthir we had to go on," Limloeth said. Legolas almost wished he would have been there to see it. Lanthir talking about caution, and Limloeth urging them to step further into danger. Why did miracles always happen when he wasn't there to see them?

"I had a plan than didn't involve violence." At Limloeth's words, Legolas smiled. That made the previous statements a bit less incredible. She continued. "You see, I had been thinking about healing and killing and feeling spirits. It had never been that strong in Mordor, but on the corsair ship I could feel it coming back. It was like I had been blind for years but suddenly regained sight.  
I tried a few things. I could send Lainfea to sleep easily, so I wondered, if maybe I could… extend that. To something else, like water. It is hard to explain. "  
"Lainfea said you 'magicked' the corsair's drinks," Legolas said, remembering.  
Limloeth uttered a short laugh before replying, "Yes, I 'magicked', as Lainfea so eloquently put it, the corsair's drinks. We were in the supply room after all, so the waterbarrels were close at hand. I… extended my healing power to the barrel, and thus made it a sleeping potion without using herbs."

"But it was better than a sleeping potion," Lanthir interrupted. "Because the corsairs didn't have to drink the potion to fall asleep, they just had to touch it. We found that out when one of them came to get a barrel and accidentally spilt some of it on his hand. He dropped to the floor, dead asleep! It was fantastic!"  
"It wasn't fantastic at all" Limloeth protested. "There was an unconscious corsair lying in ourhiding place, so we suddenly had to move a lot faster. Lanthir carried Lainfea, and led the way to the place they were keeping you. He was right.You were heavily guarded." She shivered at the memory.

"But Limloeth's 'sleeping water trick' worked perfectly," Lanthir intervened before his sister could continue. "She sprayed water on them, being careful not to get any on herself of course, and everyone of them fell, fast asleep. I was almost dancing."

"But then we realized we had forgotten something," Limloeth said. Lanthir nodded. "Keys. Your guards didn't keep the keys to your cell. They were hidden in the captain's office. The most heavily guarded place on the entire ship. With the exception of the windows."

Limloeth continued; "And the only one of us small enough to slip through those windows..."  
"Was Lainfea," Legolas said in understanding.  
"Yes, Lainfea," Limloeth confirmed.  
"I sneaked to the deck of the ship, taking Lainfea with me, while Limloeth stayed behind defending you with the tainted water. Lainfea got Limloeth's knife. As we reached the window, I lifted her, and then all I could do was watch.

It all went well at the beginning. She moved silently toward the captain's quarters and moved out of my sight. I held my breath and tried following her by sound, but she made none. A few endless minutes later she reappeared, waving at me, pointing at the keys on her belt.  
Then suddenly something moved in the edge of the room. The corsair captain had been sleeping there all along, and for some reason chose that moment to wake up. When he spotted Lainfea, my heart stopped beating."

Legolas knew how his brother must have felt. He had felt the same way himself when he had spotted Lanthir lying on the floor of the cave. The feeling of failing the ones you loved most. "What did you do?" he whispered.  
"Nothing," Lanthir confessed. "I couldn't move. I didn't know what to do! I…But I didn't have to do anything. Lainfea turned towards the corsair, raised Limloeth's blade, aimed, and threw with all her strength. It hit the captain square in the eye. He never even had the chance to scream. Then she ran toward me, handed me the keys and climbed out of the window."

"So that's how she killed a corsair," Limloeth continued. "Where she learned how to aim and throw a blade beats me."

Legolas, however, understood completely. "The orcs," he whispered as his heart wept for his little sister. "She watched the orcs kill and learned how to do it herself. Arms and legs to hurt, and heart and eyes to kill. How could she not know? How could she have forgotten after seeing it a thousand times?"

"Meanwhile," Limloeth started again, trying to banish those memories from her mind, "I was losing you. When I arrived, I thought you were unconscious, but you weren't. Your eyes were moving, but you didn't respond when I called out to you. All you said was; 'Nana' and then you closed your eyes. I did all I could to keep you alive, but it did not seem enough. I used nearly all my strength to keep your heart beating, to keep your spirit from giving up. When Lanthir and Lainfea arrived with the keys, I had managed to steady your heartbeat to a point where you didn't need my help anymore, but that was it. Your eyes didn't open, and none of your other wounds would heal. I was completely and totally drained. The only thing we could do for you was to get you off that ship. "

"So thats what we did," Lanthir took over once again. "I carried you and we snuck back to the deck. It was dark, and the corsairs were all gathered. Besides the corsairs guarding the captian's office, and the one steering the ship, there were none present that was awake, and those there didn't notice us.

We used ropes that lay there to tie you to my back. Lainfea jumped on Limloeth's and the both of us used the anchor rope to slide into the water and let go. The corsair ship sailed on. They had not even noticed something was amiss. We swam towards the shore, and by all the plants we found there, we realized we were not in Mordor anymore, though we were too worn out to be very happy about it. Well, that's it. That's how we got you out. As me and Limoeth argued what to do next, you woke. We all fell asleep, and we woke up here. The end."

Legolas looked at the dark circles under Limloeth's eyes once more. "Worn out," Lanthir had said. He could see that. Then suddenly he noticed something else.

"What?" Limloeth said as she grew uncomfortable by her brother's stare.

"Your eyes," Legolas said. "You have Nana's eyes." Limloeth looked at his in confusion, but Legolas offered no explanation.

That night, on the corsair ship, when he thought he had seen his mother, Lalaith, he had seen his sister, Limloeth instead.

* * *

TBC

Tadaa I posted twice a day, well as it is past midnight.. I actually didn't but still..

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: Yes.. It is that strange, is it,... Poor Legolas..

Rutu: Alright Alright.. I'll update.. Here it is..

Karone Evertree: "Bedankt voor je recensie" That is dutch for thanks for reviewing. And I knew what Quenya was.. I just don't speak it.. Or sindarin, Or silvan. Or blackspeech or anything besides Dutch and English.(and a bit of French and German)

Aly K: Well I'm not making the chapters longer.. Anything up to Chapter 34 is already written, you see.. I'm not altering a thing!

moonshine44: Thanks!


	16. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

Legolas was laying his bed, unable to sleep. Another day had passed, and they still hadn't left Biddy and Artamir's home. The dark circles under the siblings' eyes had slowly disappeared, but Legolas could see they still weren't ready. If he talked to them about leaving, they always answered: "not yet," or "Please Legolas, can't we just stay here just one more day?"

They didn't understand why he was in such a hurry. They agreed with Artamir.

What is one more year to an immortal?

They didn't feel the way he felt. They didn't feel the urge to be home. Legolas' siblings had found a safe place to rest here with Biddy and Artamir. Biddy took care of them as if she was their mother. She would bake cookies, and listen to their stories. She would solve their little problems, such as untying Lainfea's boots if the laces got stuck, or braiding Limloeth's hair for her. Artamir offered a different kind of help. He would practice combat with them, or would talk hours with Lanthir, discussing literature, history and religion, as well as other such matters.

Legolas didn't join them. He stood at the side, watching his brother and sisters, waiting until they were ready to go. He would sometimes spar with Lanthir, or smile at something Limloeth said, or comfort Lainfea, placing a kiss on her wounded knee, but he felt detached from them. As if, by trusting Biddy and Artamir, his siblings had gone somewhere he could no longer follow.

He watched them recover from wounds that still bled in his mind. He observed them silently as they laughed, danced, and played games, unable to join them.

For he could not. When they had escaped from Mordor, he had left a part of himself behind. Years ago, when their mother had died, his siblings had turned to him with large, frightened eyes, and asked him what to do. It had been that moment that the child inside Legolas had died, leaving behind the adult. The one responsible for his brother and sisters.

He was still responsible for them. He had to be on guard. He watched Artamir and Biddy like a hawk, ready to step between them and his siblings the moment one of the humans did something wrong. He was the assassin in the corner. Silent, deadly, and ever aware.

He would not speak to Biddy or Artamir unless spoken to, and even then his answers were short and terse. He did not allow himself to trust them, or even to like them. Artamir was not their Ada, and Biddy was not their Nana. He made sure his siblings realized that.

At night the weight of his responsibility would come washing over him, as if it could crush his body. He would hear Limloeth cry in her sleep. He could see Lanthir fighting the sheets. He watched as Lainfea clutched to the new stuffed animal. A stuffed animal he had not been able to give her.

Didn't the Valar see that he was still young, still not quite reaching adult-hood? Didn't his siblings realize that maybe he needed an Ada too? "Please," he whispered to the night. "Please, let

me be a child again. I want to play and dance with them. I don't want this darkness anymore. I want to be home. Please, let me go home."

The few nights he managed to fall asleep were not much better. In his dreams he could see Lanthir lying on the floor, eyes closed. He could see Lainfea fighting corsairs and failing, one small body between a thousand larger ones.

He could see Limloeth ripped apart by the ghost of Biddy and Artamir, still telling him that they could be trusted.

Every night he endured those images, waiting for the dreams to change.

It always started with the soft whisper of his name. "Legolas… Legolas where are you? We have lost you, child. Where are you? Come to us... Why are you crying, child? Are you not happy? Then come to us…. Come to us…" It was the voice of the trees of Greenwood, calling him home. He could see them, there leaves swaying slightly in the soft breeze, their fresh, green smell hanging the air.

He would dance passed them, running home, leaping into the waiting arms of his father. Feeling his ada's strong muscles beneath his tunic, smelling soft scent that always surrounded him. His father would lift the weight of the responsibility that hung about him, putting it upon his own, more suitable, strong shoulders, where it didn't appear so heavy anymore. Legolas would be safe.

Each day as he woke, he would feel the disappointment nearly breaking his heart. He would wake Limloeth and Lanthir up, asking them if today would be the day to leave. If maybe today they would be rested enough to start moving. He didn't want to push them, so he didn't beg. But each day he

prayed to the Valar that they would understand him. That they would see how much he wanted to be home. Needed to be home.

And each day again they would tell him. "Not yet…"

* * *

He went to find Lainfea, the one he could still cuddle for no reason, hoping that her smile could make him feel a little less alone. But she wasn't in the garden, or in Biddy's kitchen.

He walked into the living room and stood in shock. Lainfea was sitting on Artamir's lap, talking lively about their escape from Mordor, using their real names.

Artamir looked up and smiled at him. "Good morning, Legolas."

"Lainfea, come here," Legolas said, his voice barely betraying his panic.  
"Why?" the girl asked innocently.  
"We have to go. Now come here!" Legolas' voice was starting to sound frantic.  
"I want to stay here," Lainfea said. "I like it here." She snuggled a little closer to Artamir.  
"This is not home. We have to get home. Do you know, there is an Ada waiting for you at home?"  
"I want an ada now."  
"I understand," Legolas said, trying not to lose his patience and his composure. "But Ada is not here, he is home, in Greenwood." Legolas supposed that if Artamir knew their names, then where they came from wouldn't matter much. "The sooner we get there, the sooner you will get an ada."

"Artamir can be my ada." The face of the little girl lit up. "I like him."  
"NO!" Legolas shouted, "ARTAMIR CAN NOT BE YOUR ADA! You already have an ada! He is at home waiting for you! He is real and he loves you, SO WE HAVE TO GO HOME! Artamir is human! He doesn't know us! He can not be your ada, AND IF YOU DON'T UNDERSTAND THAT, IF YOU DON'T COME WITH ME NOW, THEN YOU WILL BE LEFT HERE.ALONE!"

Lainfea stared at him in shock. Large tears welled in her eyes. But she climbed of Artamir's lap, stiffly walking towards Legolas, as if every step caused her great pain. She didn't say a word and refused to look at him, but she was ready to go.

Legolas could see her body shake from sobs that she didn't let escape. He could see the blisters on her feet, as well as the bruises on her upper body that still hadn't fully healed. Most of all, he could see she didn't want to go.

It radiated from her. Her entire body was telling Legolas that she wouldn't make it. That she was too small for such a big journey. That she needed a rest first. And love. Most of all love.

He got down on one knee, trying to hug her, trying to tell her they would be alright, but she turned her back on him.

"Let's go," She said, her voice hoarse with tears.

What in the name of Valar was he doing? Lainfea didn't want to go. Limloeth and Lanthir didn't. Who was he to force them? Why should his needs be more important than theirs?

"No," he said. "No, Lainfea. You're right. I'm sorry. We will stay here for a while. I'm sorry… I just… I just…"

As he fell to his knees, defeated by the weight of his responsibilities, a few tears escaped past the guard he had put up.

* * *

TBC.

Sam611: See I told you you needed more Kleenex.

Aly K: By human standard Legolas is 15, Limloeth 13, Lanthir 11, Lainfea 5.. But I believe elven standard is not the same: see.. Lainfea is a 5 year old, but she had 20 years of life experience.. so she can act far above her human age at some times.. Same goes for Lanthir and the others.

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Well Today I'm only publising 1.. I think rest is needed after this one..

Karone Evertree: I really like it you likemy Thranduilhen..

Rutu: WOW You are always so nice to me! But I'm not posting twice a day.. I write these cliffies for a reason you know! evil grin

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: What it is going to take? hmmm I think only a magical transformation into Thranduil could make Legolas trust them ( a little.)

Moriarwen: It was not meant to becreepy.Legolas just saw hisNana's eyes and wished it was her so badly he didn't see it was actually Lim.

moonshine44: Thanks!

That was it! See you all tomorrow..

greetz Liek


	17. Chapter 16

Chapter 16

Legolas watched his siblings blossom.

He watched Lainfea skip to school every day, finally getting a proper education, although it was not an elvish one. She was a fast learner, and that was a good thing, for she had much to learn. There were so many things she had never done before, never heard about. Trees, flowers, animals, friends. She learned to swim, to dance, to play games. She was always running off to somewhere, trying to fit all she missed out on in her twenty years of captivity in a single day, every day.

Every night she would lay in bed, telling Legolas stories about what she had done that day, trying to make him laugh. He watched her and stroked her hair.

Every day she grew stronger. Every day he could see the soft glow surrounding her shine a little brighter.

He watched Lanthir joining Lainfea as she walked to school. Lanthir's knowledge exceeded the schools highest grade, but the school had a excellent library when Legolas' brother could bury himself in. After he had found a new fact, he tried to persuade one of the professors to debate with him. He joined Lainfea's swimming classes as well; for there he had never had had the change to learn that eigther. After the swimming classes he ran off to the practice field where Artamir would teach him of everything he knew.

Late at night as Lanthir lay in bed he would tell his brother of new moves he had learned, and how he had adjusted them for elvish use. He informed Legolas of the little facts he had picked up at the library.

"Did you know, Legolas? Seagulls can drink salt water because they have special glands that filter out the salt. Did you know that?" Legolas could see the muscles on his little brother's arms form. Lanthir' glow had increased almost as much as Lainfea's had.

Limloeth did not go to school, but went to Osgiliath's Houses of the Healing instead. The healers their were very glad with the work she did, and Limloeth enjoyed the fact she was useful. Limloeth's glow brightened by every wound she healed, with every pain she made disappear.

Legolas could see his siblings pick up the pieces of their broken lives and build it anew. He could see them, Biddy and Artamir starting to form a family.

A family he could not be a part of, for his own light dimmed. He didn't go to school. He watched his siblings, and if they were all gone, he would go to the archery field where he would shoot arrow after arrow into the target, as if the target was a group of orcs. One arrow for every image of an orc that had disturbed his dreams.  
One arrow for every laugh he didn't take part in.  
One arrow for every tear he hadn't shed.

At night he listened to the stories of his siblings and fletched arrows to shoot the next day. He could feel Artamir and Biddy were worried about him.

They tried to convince him to go to school, to join the hunters, to learn anything to "stop eating himself up" as Biddy put it.

Legolas still didn't trust them. After the humans had found out their real names nothing had changed. Biddy or Artamir hadn't betrayed them in any form. It had convinced Legolas' mind that they could be trusted, but in his heart he still didn't feel it. That part of him still refused to trust. He had been hurt too many times, by too many beings for his heart to trust them.

The fact that his mind now trusted Biddy and Artamir had made him feel more useless than ever. His only responsibility, the reason to exist, had been taken away from him. He needed to keep his siblings safe, but they no longer needed him.

"Come," the trees of Greenwood, his home, whispered in his mind. "You have been away for far too long. Come. You need us, son, as we need you. Come."

That night he made a decision. A decision to put his heart at ease.

The next day, he joined Lanthir and Lainfea on their way to school. Their faces lit up, and both of them tried to talk the entire way, showing him things on the route he might have missed, introducing to people he hadn't met.

The teachers of Lainfea's class laughed as Lainfea dragged him into her classroom and gave him an encouraging smile. He let Lainfea show him her books and the drawings she had made. As class began, he kissed the top of her head, and silently moved away.

In the school library he met Lanthir again. His little brother showed him all the volumes that he had read already, and the ones he had planned to read today. Legolas sat in a corner for a while, pretending to read, but watching his brother instead. Lanthir quickly became absorbed by the book in his hands, oblivious to all around him.

Legolas smiled sadly. He knew his siblings too well. It was so easy to deceive them. He put down the book in his hands and moved to a different department: Topography. He spent the rest of the afternoon copying maps.

The following day he joined Limloeth in her journey to the Houses of Healing. He listened to her stories, cooled the foreheads of children with the flu, or other such sicknesses, and bandaged wounded soldiers. But as Limloeth was busy helping a woman with the delivery of her baby, Legolas sneaked away to the supply room. He needed bandages and herbs.

Limloeth and Lanthir smiled at each other as they watched Legolas starting to participate again. They had been very worried about their older brother, but as he sparred with Lanthir, the colour returned to Legolas' face.  
When he baked cookies with Lainfea in the evening his glow was visible again.

They didn't see the food that disappeared from Biddy's kitchen. The backpack Artamir had lost. They didn't notice he never returned the bow he had borrowed. They didn't miss the two knives that had disappeared from the armory. All they saw was the older brother they loved and missed slowly returning.

One day, as Biddy went outside to dry the laundry she heard a soft voice singing a song.

"If you're ever lost, my sweetheart,  
If you're ever scared, my child..."

The woman smiled and walked towards the singer.

"You have such a beautiful voice, Legolas, you should sing more often. Do all you siblings sing that beautiful? Oh we should buy and instrument of some kind. I believe Artamir can play something! It would be beautiful.  
I've never told you this, but I'm so very glad you finally decided to join us. Me and Artamir really enjoy having you in the house, you must understand. It was so quiet without you. And it is good for the four of you as well.  
Look at how you are all lighting up! When I think about how you all arrived here. Terrible. But now you are all playing and dancing, and even singing!

I have to admit it was you I was most worried about. Always staying in the corner, always worried about your siblings. Never trusting. Oh it almost broke my heart just to look at you. You were so alone. To be such a little boy, with all that responsibility." Here Legolas almost snorted. "Little boy" coming from someone he was probebly older than still struck him as funny, even if by human standards he wouldn't even be sixteen yet.

Biddy continued "Oh I just can't say how happy you made me! That you didn't choose to stay in the darkness forever."

Legolas waited for the moment she had to breathe. "Biddy?" he asked. "I was wondering. Have you maybe got a cloak for me? Something warm? Please? "

Biddy dropped her laundry on the floor and clasped her hand over her mouth.

"Oh Valar! I didn't even think... you are cold! I'm so sorry! I didn't realize elves could get cold! And I send the little ones of without a cloak or anything, in summer clothes! Oh, I'm so, so sorry!" "Biddy, please," Legolas interrupted. "Please, it is not so bad. Please. I just asked, because I'm a little chilled. I'm not cold. This is nothing me or the others can't handle, I was just asking. Please, it is nothing. I didn't mean to upset you."

"Of course you didn't mean to, child! Well come on, inside! I think I can remake one of Artamir's cloaks for you. Just wait a minute.."  
She half dragged him to a closet in her and Artamir's room, where she started pulling out several cloaks.  
"What color would you like, dear? This one perhaps? It would match the colour of your eyes. "Or this one. Green. Isn't there a group of elves called the green elves somewhere?" Well, I don't know... How about this one?"

"It doesn't really matter Biddy, I just..."  
"The green one," she decided, not listening to a word he said. She draped the cloak over his shoulders, measuring its length.  
"Well," she mumbled, "It needs a little adjusting. It will not take long. Go do something boy. It will be finished in a moment."

Legolas went outside picking up the laundry she had left there, and hanging it on the clothes-line. As he stepped inside again after half an hour, Biddy proudly showed him the result of her work. Legolas smiled. A cloak had been the last thing he needed.

* * *

It was night once again. In the corner of the bedchamber stood a lone figure, wrapped in a cloak.

Legolas Thranduillion turned one last time to look at his sleeping brother and sisters and whispered a last goodbye.

"I'm sorry I couldn't join you. I'm sorry I couldn't stay. But I wasn't strong enough. I have to go. I need to be home. When I'm home I'll convince Ada to come and get you. I'll be back with horses. I promise you that. I promise."

His siblings didn't move.

"I love you," Legolas whispered, and he left, to finally seek out Greenwood, where he could be at peace at last.

* * *

TBC..

Roguish Smile: Well you weren't wrong ..

Karone Evertree: No siblings love is not enough for Lainfea.. She really needs an adult to look up to.. She is only a little girl after all.

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: THANKS! More will come tomorrow

Moriarwen: Well will take a while before they see Thranduil again..

Rutu: No, Legolas would never hit Lainfea.. No even in a fight..

Aly K : Thank you so much..

kel: Of course he wants to leave.. He is the only one that really remembers what he misses..


	18. Chapter 17

Chapter 17

Legolas looked back, scanning the horizon with his sharp elven eyes, looking for a sign that wasn't there. He had been travelling alone for a few days now, and Osgiliath was no longer visible. Just the same, he could still feel his responsiblility for his siblings pull at him. He unconsciously walked in a pace they could follow. He kept looking back, wondering what they were doing; how they were feeling.

Sometimes he looked back, and he could see one of them in the corner of his eye, but as he turned to get a closer look it always turned out to be a tree, or a cruel joke the light had played on his eyes. The road behind him was ever empty. He remained alone.

He tried to tell himself that he was not bothered by this. That it didn't matter to him. It had been his choice to go alone. He needed to get to Greenwood, and his siblings had needed to to stay. The choice was easy.

Nevertheless, he had not been prepared for how much he would miss the others. They had been together for such a long time. He thought about their years of slavery, and their journey through Mordor. He had no whining brother now to annoy him, no weight of a sister in his arms to hinder his  
movements.

He should have been glad by that, yet he kept looking over his shoulder; staring at the empty road, but not seeing anything of the beauty of Northern Ithilien. His heart had closed itself off for everything except Greenwood, his father, and his siblings, for he knew that if he started to love just one more thing he had to let go of, he wouldn't make it.

Sometimes he would pretend his siblings were with him. "Are we there yet?" he would let Lanthir ask, before taking minutes to explain to his brother in his head that this was a very long and dangerous journey, that they would have to follow the river for a long time, and he had to stop whining. At night he would snuggle close to his backpack, pretentding it was Lainfea he held.

He wondered what his siblings must have done as they realized he was gone.

Lainfea would have woken up first, as she always did. Before she would get up and dressed, she could have tried to crawl into his bed, as she had done almost every day. But that day, she would have found no one there.

Legolas had to admit he had no idea what his sister would do. Would she climb in Limloeth's bed instead? Or would she realize something was wrong, and wake her brother and sister? Limloeth and Lanthir would understand. He knew that for sure. He would see his empty bed and realize he had gone home.

Would they hate him for leaving them alone? He didn't know. Limloeth must have picked up that he was not happy, and not healing in Osgiliath. Of all his siblings she would understand most. Lanthir would probably be angry for a while, and work it off by practicing swordsmanship. Lainfea most likely would not believe he was gone. She would get up and check his bed every morning until she couldn't remember why she did it, or who she was waiting for. He wasn't sure to hope that that would happen soon. His little sister would be hurt untill she had forgotten him, but the thought of Lainfea not remembering him shot a stab of pain through his heart.

He was suddenly disturbed out of his wonderings as his ears picked up a sound. The trees of Ithilien were whispering, reporting a disturbance.  
Animals shot past him, towards their hiding places.

Though Legolas had not felt the beauty of Ithilien with his heart, he had seen it with his eyes, and it had made him forget how close it was to Mordor.

Suddenly he didn't feel so bad for leaving his siblings anymore. Suddenly he was very glad he had left them behind in a place they were safe.

The earth groaned. Heavy footsteps moved his way. Orcs.

* * *

He ran as fast as he could in the opposite direction, ignoring the urge to jump into the first tree he saw. "No," he thought, to convince himself. "Not this one. If they spot me in this tree I'll have nowhere to go." He moved to a spot were the trees were closer together, so he could move from tree to tree if needed.

As he climbed as high as he could he silently asked the tree to hide him well. The tree accepted him, and he could see it shift its leaves together slightly, hiding him from sight. "Hannon le," he whispered.The orcs got closer, and Legolas could feel the tree shudder, almost undiscernibly. Orcs  
were feared and disgusted by all living creatures.

His elvish hearing picked up a few words the orcs spoke and they burned into his soul. They ripped his walls of self defense open, bringing back memories of times and places he'd tried to forget.

He could see his mother lying on the floor, still trying to smile at him and telling him nothing was his fault, and everything would be alright as she was beaten to death. He had seen it happening. He had seen how everything disappeared from her eyes, her joy, her intelligence, her love for life, her hope for the future, her faith in the Valar, and her trust that there was good in the world. With every sweep of an orc foot, with every crack of their whips, Legolas had watched a part of his mother disappear, until there was nothing but pain left in her eyes. He watched as her eyelids closed her beautiful brown eyes forever. She kept smiling as they beat her. She kept smiling at him, as the pain made her forget his name. She kept smiling, even in death.

The orcs beneath him were talking about prisoners. Prisoners like he had been.

He remembered the times they had beaten him. The countless times he had almost given up. The times he had sat in the middle of the room unable to lay down and sleep because his his skin was ripped to shreds. How many times he had just wanted to close his eyes and leave. But then Lanthir would have shifted in his sleep. Limloeth would have said something. Lainfea would have woken up and demanded water, and he would have remembered why he could never, ever give up.

He thanked the Valar that his siblings where not with him now. That they didnt have to hear the black speech again. That thay didn't have to sit here and resist the urge to shoot the repulsive beings. Legolas' fingers clutched his bow, but if he shot one, he would have to shoot them all, and there were just too many. So he waited for them to pass.

He waited until there was no orc in sight and even longer just to be safe, until he dropped out of the tree. He thanked it politely for offering him a hiding place, as his father had taught him a long time ago, and breathed in relief. He was safe.

Before he continued his journey, he looked back just one more time. The coming of the orcs had changed nothing. The road behind him was still empty, and he could still see one of his siblings moving in the corner of his eyes.

He knew the image would disappear the moment he turned his head, just as all the others had done. He knew he would be disappointed. It would just turn out to be a tree and so he refused to turn his head and blinked a couple of times. The light would not fool him this time.

The illusion did not go away. It came running towards him, at full speed. He had just enough time to open his arms and catch the sobbing, scared little creature.

"Lainfea?" he asked, still not quite believing it was real. "Lainfea? What are you doing here?"

* * *

TBC..

Aly K: LOL.. slave-driver.. Well I hope this chapter is in time..

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: Well, It isn't as easy for Legolas to leave his siblings as some people might have assumed.. grin

Karone Evertree: grin I will not answer your questions.. You will see..

moonshine44: Aw, you're too hard on the siblings..They are only children, It is not their fault If they act selfish sometimes.

Moriarwen : Its this soon enough for you?

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Thank you! Wow! You really made my day.

Roguish Smile: grin

Rutu : No he didn't leave a note..grin And that was all I can answer right now..

* * *

That was it.. See you tomorrow.

Liek


	19. Chapter 18

Chapter 18

"Lainfea?" Legolas asked. " Where are Limloeth and Lanthir? Are they not with you, little one?" The girl in his arms shook her head.  
"They are at home. I woke up first and you were gone, so I went to find you."  
"Alone?" That was a possibility Legolas had never thought about. He realized now that he should have. His sister was a very brave little girl, that solved the problems she encountered with the practicality of youthful innocence. So of course she wouldn't wake her siblings when she had found  
him gone. Of course she had tried to find him by herself. Foolish, stupid, brave, little girl.

"No, not alone. Going out alone is very dangerous," the elfling said very matter-of-factly.  
"But not with Lanthir and Limloeth either. Who did you bring then? Artamir?" He wondered if that was the case, why the human was not with her now.  
"Bear," Lainfea said and she pointed at the stuffed animal stuck in her belt.  
"Bear? Lainfea, sweety, Bear is not … Bear is not…" He tried to tell Lainfea that a stuffed animal could hardly count as a companion without hurting his little sisters feelings, but realized there was no way.  
"So you and Bear are traveling together."  
Lainfea nodded, glad her brother understood.

Legolas gave his sister one last hug and put her back on her own two feet again. He sighed, ondering what to do. Would he go on and take his sister with him? Or would he have to return, and bring Lainfea back to Artamir and Biddy, where she could be safe?

"Oh Lainfea..." he whispered. "Why did you have to follow me?"  
"Because you were gone," she answered. Her sharp, elvish hearing had picked up the words, even though they were not really meant for her. "I had to find you. Artamir said it is dangerous to go out alone. You went out alone," she said accusingly.

"I had to, Lainfea. Listen, I am going on a trip. It will take a long, long time and it will be very dangerous."  
The little girl stared at him, not understanding what he was trying to say.  
Legolas sighed and continued.  
"But first I'll take you back to Biddy and Artamir."  
The girl nodded. "Yes, we have to go back."  
Legolas kneeled to see eye to eye with her.  
"No, little one. I will take you back to Osgilliath, and then I´ll leave. And you can not follow me, I have to do this alone."  
" Can´t. Alone is not safe. Artamir said so. I will come, and Bear too."

Legolas closed his eyes for a moment. He didn´t know how to explain to Lainfea that she had to go.  
"Lainfea, you want to stay with Biddy and Artamir, right?" he asked.  
Lainfea nodded.  
"But if you come with me," Legolas continued "You can't."  
Lainfea stared at him.  
" So… you will have to choose. Either stay with Biddy and Artamir, or you come with me. And you want to stay with Biddy and Atramir, right?"  
Lainfea nodded, proud that she had understood. "And with you." She added.

Legolas bit his lip an tried to stay calm. She was only a little girl.  
"No," he said. "you have to choose: stay with Biddy and Atramir, or you can come with me where it is very dangerous.  
The elfling nodded.  
"So..." Legolas said. "What do you choose?"  
"You," Lainfea said.  
Legolas sighed. She still didn't understand.  
"No," Legolas said. How many times was he going to have to explain this? "I meant: You can stay safe with Biddy and Artamir, where you can read and write and sing and play games, OR you can come with me, on a very dangerous and boring journey. Now, what do you choose?"  
"You," the girl answered, puzzled as to why her brother didn't understand.

Legolas smiled sadly. He wanted his little sister with him so badly, but he had seen how happy she was at Biddy and Artamir´s house. He had seen her shine. It would be wrong to listen to hear and think that she had meant what she said. She just didn´t realize her choices, she was too small.  
Legolas knew he had brought just enough food for one person. He had only one cloak. They would have to travel through marches and sharp rocks, and all his sister had brought with her was a stuffed animal.  
He could not abuse her innocence, just because he wanted someone with him. He could not take away her happiness because he was lonely.

Legolas sank to his knees. "Lainfea," his voice was desperate, begging her to understand. "Little one, you can´t come with me. Don´t ask me to do that to you. Please!"  
She put a small hand on his shoulder, trying to comfort him.  
"But I want to come with you," she whispered.  
"Don´t ask that, please. For I will listen to you and never forgive myself. Please. Let me take you back. If you liked Biddy and Artamir, than why do you want to come with me?"  
"I like you more," Lainfea said simply and truthfully.

Legolas' heart was breaking, trying to understand why the Valar would tempt him so to take an infant with him on a near suicidal journey.

Lainfea looked at her brother and she could she he was very sad. She didn´t really understand why, she just knew she had to do something about it. Something good. Frowning, she thought. At last, she knew what to do.

"Here," she said as she pushed her bear into his arms. "You can hold Bear for a while. But you must stop crying. Bear doesn´t like it when elvies are crying."  
"I wasn´t crying," Legolas said, his pride getting in the way of the situation.  
Lainfea shrugged. " There was water in your eyes. But it doesn´t matter. Bear will help you feel better. You have to hold him like this."

She pulled Legolas' arms tighter around the toy. "See," she said, as Legolas laughed as he watched her working. "It works. Bear is really good at making people feel better."  
"You are right, Lainfea." Legolas pretended for her sake. "I feel much better."  
Lainfea smiled happily.  
"Bear is the best bear in Arda. Did you know he could make wishes come true?"  
Legolas shook his head.  
"Well," his little sister said "Just before I found you there were a lot of orcs,and I was really scared. But I just held Bear, and he said that if I closed my eyes, and wished real hard, he would offer me shelter till the orcs went away."  
"Bear said that?" Legolas asked, not quit believing the story.  
"He whispered it into my ear," Lainfea said.  
Legolas smiled as he understood. A tree. A tree must have offered Lainfea shelter. She was a wood elf after all.

The talk about orcs had made him realize how dangerous Ithilien was.  
He gave the bear back to his little sister and got onto his feet. Then he suddenly stopped moving as he felt a cold blade press on his throat.

"You, my friend," a voice said, "have stayed in one place for far too long."

* * *

TBC

Moriarwen: Well This one is for you, because you reviwed so quickly..


	20. Chapter 19

Chapter 19.

Legolas could kick himself. The owner of the blade thrust against his neck was right. He had stayed in one place for far too long, forgetting he lived in a dangerous world, and now he would pay the price. He watched Lainfea, who hadn't moved. What was wrong with her? Why didn't she run?

"I knew you would find us," she said triumphantly to Legolas' attacker, smiling happily. The blade was released from Legolas neck. He whipped around to face his adversary, suspecting who it was.

"Lanthir! You annoying little brat! This isn't a joke!"  
"Oh, I'm sorry, did I scare you, Legolas?" His brother asked with a cold, sarcastic voice.  
"Yes, you idiot! I thought you were an orc! You scared me half to death"  
Legolas couldn't believe his brother would even ask such a question.  
"Good," Lanthir said frostily.

Legolas didn't understand. He hadn't seen his brother act this cold since they had woken up in Osgiliath. This was his brother's darker side, and Legolas knew that something very serious must have happenend for it to resurface. Had something happened to Lanthir or Limloeth? Why was he acting like this?

"Lanth..." Legolas began. "What's wrong?"  
"Oh! You wouldn't have any idea, would you! What could be wrong!" Lanthir shouted angrily. The tone of his voice made Lainfea reach for Bear.  
"You know what's wrong?" he continued, taking a step back from his brother. "I was happy. That's what's wrong. I was happy, and foolish enough to believe I could have a life. It was my dream. Then you know what?"

Lanthir gave Legolas an almost deadly glare.  
Legolas glared back defiantly.  
"What?" the older elf said after a moment of furious looks.  
"I woke up," Lanthir said. "I woke up and guess who's bed was empty?"  
When Legolas didn't answer Lanthir pointed at him. "Yours!" Then he turned and pointed at Lainfea, who cowered, clutching Bear. "And hers."

Silence then reigned over the forest. When Lanthir spoke again, his voice no longer sounded angry, just hurt.  
"I don't know what in the name of the Valar you were thinking. How could you do this to us, brother? Why did you leave?"

Legolas paused for a moment before answering, then placed his hand on Lanthir's shoulder.  
"Lanthir, do you remember Ada?" he asked.  
His little brother shook his head. "Not really, just that he... he was strong. And blond, like us."  
"Well, I do," Legolas said. "I remember his smile, and his powerful shoulders, and the songs he used to sing to us. I remember his laugh; a laugh that would ring out like bell, and stop you from whatever you were doing so you could listen. I remember his stories, and how he would pick me up and run around through the garden. How he made me feel safe.After that, when we were captured, I've never felt safe. Not in Mordor, not in Osgiliath, not ever. And I just thought that if I could reach Greenwood... If I could see Ada again, maybe...maybe I would...maybe then I would not be so empty anymore. Because I am empty, Lanthir. So empty."

He looked into his brothers eyes, begging him to understand, but Lanthir merely looked away.

"Of course I saw you were happy, Lanthir. And I saw Limloeth and Lainfea happy as well. And of course I didn't want to hurt you and take you away from the place where you could feel that way, so I left. Alone. Lainfea is only here because she followed me. I'm very glad you did as well, because now you can take her back, and I can continue my journey."  
"Like I could do that," Lanthir muttered.  
"Excuse me?" Legolas said.

Lanthir took a step back toward his brother and looked him in the eye.  
"I said: Like. I. Could. Do. That. Like I could return to Biddy and Artamir's place without you. Like it would be the same."  
"I thought you were happy at Biddy and Artamir's place," Legolas said, puzzled now.  
Lanthir's voice grew angry once more.  
"Of course I was happy, you moron! But if you think even for one second that I would go back there, without you then you are insane! Don't you understand? Can't you see? I have someone I feel safe with too. But it's not Ada, you idiot!" Tears formed in Lanthir's eyes. Much softer he added "It's you."

Legolas stared at him, speechless.

Lainfea stood up from the ground and pushed Bear into Lanthir's arms. Her brother smiled at her. "What is this, Lainfea?"  
"You have to hug Bear. He makes you feel better. He makes you stop crying and yelling and pointing."  
"I scared you a little, didn't I?" Lanthir asked her.  
"You musn't be angry," the little girl said, wiggling herself into Lanthir's arms. "I don't like you when you are angry."  
He placed a kiss on the top of her head. "I'm sorry," he whispered. "I was just a little scared when I saw you were gone. Life would get so boring without my little Lainfea."  
She giggled.

"Legolas must not go alone on the trip, must he?" she asked Lanthir as she watched Legolas.  
Lanthir turned his eyes towards his brother.  
"No, he most certainly must not."  
"It would be too dangerous," the little girl added seriously.  
"Indeed," Lanthir agreed. "We'd better come with him and keep an eye on him.

"But first," he added a moment later, "we must find Limloeth again."  
"Limloeth?" Legolas asked. "Did she come with you?"  
Lanthir nodded. "I couldn't leave her to find all of us gone, now could I? We went to find you together, but leaving took us a while, for Lim insisted on bringing extra clothes and weapons, and leaving a letter to Biddy.

Sometime yesterday we lost your tracks, and we had a huge argument about what to do next. Limloeth said you would probably follow the river, while I stated that you would probably just take the shortest route. In the end, we split up and made a promise that whoever found you first would make you come to the rendevous point.

And as it turned out, I was right. Now let's go find her, so I can rub it in." Lanthir smiled wickedly. Legolas, however, did not find it very funny. What Lanthir was saying, was that his sister was somewhere wandering alone in orc-infested country.  
"Where is that rendevous point you are talking about?" he asked his brother.

Lanthir pointed at an oddly shaped rock a good ways in the distance. "Right there."  
Legolas swallowed.  
"Lainfea?" he asked. "Those orcs we saw today, which way were they moving?" She thought for a moment, and then pointed in the direction of the same rock.  
"Yes," Legolas sighed. "I thought they were."  
Lanthir stared at him in shock. "Orcs?"

Legolas nodded sadly and scooped Lainfea into his arms. "Lanthir, get the backpack. We'd better hurry."

* * *

They ran as fast as they could, not stopping before they had reached the rock Limloeth and Lanthir had agreed to meet at. When they arrived there it was clear Limloeth hadn't.

Legolas moaned and kicked the rock in frustration.

"Maybe she is just late..." Lanthir said, but without much conviction. "We didn't really agree on the time. She could arrive tomorrow."  
Legolas shook his head. He wanted to hope, but twenty years in Mordor had not left him overly optimistic.

"It smell like orcs here," Lainfea said, bringing her child logic ino the situation. "Bear doesn't like it. He wants to go."  
Legolas smelled it too.

Their conversation was suddenly disturbed by a scream in the distance. Legolas snatched Lainfea off the ground. Lanthir's face paled, and he stared at Legolas with wide eyes.

"Limloeth," he said faintly. Legolas nodded and the two brothers started running at the same time; towards the danger, and towards their sister.

* * *

TBC

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: They all refused to be left behind. grin

Laebeth: I'm glad I got you attached to my characters.. I'm very attacht to them myself.. And I'm glad you are still reading! Thanks for the lovely review.

Karone Evertree: Lainfea is a little sweetheart, isn't she?

Roguish Smile: If Bear gets hurt all hope will be lost I think.. grins

Aly K: Well you we're right, It was nobody who wished them harm..

Moriarwen : Well you got your answer

moonshine44: NO! Stop! Don't pull your hair out! (You'll need some for chapters to come grin)

Rutu : WOW You guessed it!

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Each review for you makes me laugh! Thank you so much.

Sam611: Yeah but He found that leaving his siblings is almost impossible..

silverkonekotsukari: Yay! a plus! Thanks!

That was it for today!

Greetz Liek


	21. Chapter 20

Chapter 20

They were getting close to the place the scream had originated from. With their sharp eyes, they could see orcs in the distance, though the orcs could not yet see them. Limloeth was tied to a tree, but they could not see how badly she had been hurt.

Legolas suddenly became aware of his little sister in his arms, and stopped as he reached a few bushes.  
"Lainfea, you will hide here. No matter what happens, you will stay hidden. Understand?"  
Lainfea shook her head. "No," the little girl said. "I want to help Limloeth too."

Legolas looked at her. Her long blond hair was tied into a ponytail, and her hands were at her sides. She would have looked a very capable killer, if only there hadn't been a stuffed animal thrust into her belt. If only she hadn't been a child.

"Forget it, Lainfea," he said. "You will say here, and wait for us to come and get you."  
Lainfea shook her head. "Give me your knife," she said, holding out her hand.  
"No," Legolas said firmly. "We have no time for discussions."  
The little girl folded her arms in front of her chest. "I want the knife."

Lanthir watched the power struggle between Lainfea an Legolas from a distance. Two stubborn minds locked together in a wordless battle. He smiled. One day, it would be interesting to see who would win, but now was not the time.

"Give her one of your knives, Legolas," he said.  
Lanthir ignored his brother's deadly glare and walked towards him. "Give her the knife," he said once more, and then his voice turned into a low whisper only Legolas could hear.  
"If none of us makes it, what will she have left, Legolas? She will die of starvation, very, very slowly. Give her the dagger, so that if she dies, it will be swift, or at least she might be able to take out a few orcs for us."

Legolas slowly shook his head. "I will not let her die," he whispered, for Lanthir's ears alone.  
"Then keep her in your sight where you can prevent it," his brother answered.  
Legolas' hands still made no movement towards his knives.  
"Remember the last time you asked Lainfea to hide, brother," Lanthir said, only partially knowing the impact of these words on the older elf.

Legolas closed his eyes. For a minute he was at the cave in Mordor again, urging his sisters into the fissure, trying to keep them safe from corsairs... he had almost killed them that day. He had locked the crack with a large rock, and when the corsairs had taken him, he had realized there was no way they could have moved the rock without outside help. He remembered the guilt he had felt, that he sometimes still felt. He remembered how he had thought that with the help of his sisters, the battle might not have gone so ill.

He looked at his sister once more. Her arms were still crossed, and she continued to stare at him, silently demanding the knife. With a shiver he realized that she did look a capable warrior. In spite of the fact she was a child. In spite of the teddy bear stuck in her belt. She had a fire in her eyes that told him she would make a difference.

"Give me that knife," she said once more. And this time Legolas reached behind is back, and pulled one of his knives out it's sheath and placed it into her hand. Her little fingers closed around it and she smiled. With a weapon she would not be afraid. With a weapon she would hurt those who wanted to hurt her.

Lanthir and Legolas both saw their sister's glow change the minute she touched the knife. The light that surrounded her shined brighter, sharper, and more dangerous. Legolas sighed, seeing all too well how Mordor had affected his youngest sister, forcing her to grow up before her time. He strung his bow. He knew that as he did that, his own luminosity would brighten as Lainfea's had. He nodded at Lanthir, who was holding two knives, knowing that he was noting the same thing.

They would fight together again. The last time they had done so, Lanthir had almost died, and Legolas was captured. Yet none of them tried to think of that. Things were different now. They were better armed, better trained, and better rested.  
'And they had Lainfea,' Legolas' mind added, hoping it would prove an advantage.

"Let's go," He said, and started off once more towards their foes, and their sister.

* * *

Limloeth hated her weakness. She knew healers were very well respected in the Elvish world, but she would give anything to be able to kill like her siblings. To be blind to other people's feelings.

The tree the orcs had tied her to seemed to feel her despair, and shared its strength, but Limloeth was not grateful. She could feel it give too much; too much of the trees live would flow into her body, and it would die soon.

A useless sacrifice, for there was no way for Limloeth to escape her death now that she had been caught by orcs again.

Her healing power showed her more than the dying tree. She could feel the misery the orcs felt. She could feel their pain, their abused bodies, their twisted thoughts. She could feel which ones were born orcs, and some of the very old ones, which had been elves once. Their hurt was added to the pain of her own wounds, inflicted by their whips. Just the same, she did not have the strength or capacity to hate them; all she could do was pity them and hate herself.

She thought about the short life she had had in Osgiliath and the work she had done in the Houses of Healing. Those few weeks had been the only time in her life she had been content with her destiny. The only time she had not prayed the Valar to make her a warrior instead. She had relieved so much pain there and learned so much.

Yet all that knowledge had not prevented her from stumbling upon a group of orcs. It had not made her reach for a knife and fight her way out once again. It had only made her hestitate, and in that moment of hesitation, she had been overwhelmed.

One of the orcs moved closer to her, and the endless pain of its tortured soul brought tears to her eyes.  
"Crying already?" the vile creature rasped as it took its whip from its belt.The being licked its lips. "Oh, this will be good."  
"I'm so sorry," Limloeth cried heartbreakingly, repeating it every time the whip struck her body.  
She could not hate these creatures. She could not hate them, for she knew the orc could never hurt her as much as it had been hurt itself. "I'm so sorry..."

Suddenly the pain that had radiated from the orc rose to level that nearly made Limloeth scream, and then, it abruptly stopped. She looked up. The head of an arrow protruding out of the orc's chest, the arrow having passed through its back and out the front.

Everything happened at once. From the place were she was tied she could see flashes of her brothers. Lanthir kicking and turning using his blades and body to kill as much orcs as he could. Legolas stayed back a bit, shooting all orcs that threatend Lanthir, Limloeth, or himself. Watching silently, Limloeth observed how fascinating it was to see them move, even though none of them managed to get very close to her.

After a while, Limoeth wasn't even sure if they were trying.

They stayed on the egdes of the open space, drawing the orcs away from her, without any attempt to free her. What were they expecting? That she would just magic herself out of her bonds? She struggled but the ropes only dug into her chest.

What kind of rescue operation was this?

Then suddenly the ropes gave way and a small hand grabbed hers.

"Can you walk?" Lainfea asked her older sister.  
Limloeth nodded.  
"We have to sneak," the little girl informed her. "This way."

The two sisters sneaked out of the orc camp, while the two brothers kept the orcs busy. While they were moving Limloeth could feel the plantlife around her move. Bushes shifted, grass straigtened, Ithilien did all she could to keep the elflings safe. They moved undetected.

After a while Lainfea turned towards her sister.  
"Can you run?" she asked, altering her former question.  
Limloeth nodded.  
"Good," the youngest said, as she stood upright and and whistled using her fingers. "Because we'll have to."

In the distance Limloeth could see her brothers turn away from the battle and run toward them, followed by every orc still able to move.

* * *

TBC

Roguish Smile: I hope this eases your worries a little.

Moriarwen: Well... Noo.. but she could be worse!

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur : Well if you were doing a happy dance before you went working.. you should have something to dance about after work: so I updated.. I hope you'll like it.

Karone Evertree: Yeah, he really needds to work on his sneakyness. but then again I'm sure a part of him really wanted to be found.

Rutu: Yes I can update again today. The question is, can you review twice a day?


	22. Chapter 21

Chapter 21

Lainfea didn't wait for her brothers to catch up, and began running the moment she had whistled, tugging Limloeth along. Her sister moved much slower than the Lainfea had expected her to. Maybe Limloeth had lied when she had said she could run. In that case Lainfea shouldn't have whistled.  
That is what Legolas had instructed her.

She glanced behind her shoulder. Legolas and Lanthir were gradually drawing nearer.  
The moment they caught up, everything would be alright. Her brothers never failed to make everything right again. Just a few moments...

Legolas shouldered his bow as he saw his sisters' slow progress. He would have to carry Limloeth; they were moving much too slow. Legolas didn't look back to see how close the orcs had gotten, because he didn't want to know.  
He had to believe he could outrun them. He just had to hope.

"Lainfea, you will have to run by yourself this time."  
Legolas shouted to his sister as he got closer. The girl nodded, let go of her older sister hand and sprinted ahead. A second later Legolas reached Limloeth and scooped her into his arms, ignoring the frustrated look on her face at having to be carried. Lanthir dashed past him, following Lainfea.  
Legolas was close behind, Limloeth in his arms. The orcs still pursued them.  
'I can do this,' Legolas told himself silently. 'I can.'

Lanthir passed Lainfea and lead the way. They had agreed on a place where they would stop and hide, but Lanthir ran past it at full speed. Legolas hesitated. "What are you doing?" he called out to his brother.  
"The orcs are too close!" his brother answered over his shoulder. "They'll see where we hide!  
Follow me, I have a plan!"  
Legolas shifted the weight of Limloeth a bit and followed his brother, trusting that he had made a good decision.

They ran faster then the orcs, even little Lainfea with her short legs and Legolas carrying the weight of his older sister. They gained distance, but not enough to hide without the orcs seeing it. "Lanthir?" Legolas asked, between heavy breaths. The older sister, he found, was much heavier than the younger. "Where are we going?"  
"Where the orcs will not follow. Trust me," Lanthir said before running ahead, scouting for hidden dangers.

* * *

Lainfea had been running silently, her blond ponytail swinging from side to side with every stride. She had followed her brother without asking questions or complaining. She knew they had to keep ahead of the orcs. "We have to hurry, Bear." she said.  
Then she realized something and went into a panic. She whipped around, and darted back towards the orcs.

Legolas saw it happening, but he no hands free to prevent it.  
"LAINFEA!" he shouted. "Lanthir! Lainfea! LANTHIR, get Lainfea!"  
His brother immediately turned as well, sprinting to his sister at full speed.  
"LAINFEA!" he shouted as Legolas had. The girl heard, but kept running in the direction of the orcs. Legolas stopped. He felt as if he couldn't move, he couldn't do anything but watch. The orcs were closing in on his little sister.

But Lanthir reached her first and scooped her up in his arms. Lainfea resisted him with all her might.  
"What are you doing?" Lanthir yelled, not letting go.  
The girl used both of her hands to pound on his shoulders.  
"Let me go! Let me GO!" she shouted hysterically.  
Lanthir only increased his grip, to the point where he feared he was actually hurting her, but there was no way he would let Lainfea run into the throng of orcs. He started running in the opposite direction again, as fast as he could without letting go of the squirming girl in his arms.  
"GO!" he shouted as he ran passed Legolas. His brother shook his head as he woke from his shock.

The girl in Lanthir's arms realized she wouldn't win this fight and stared over her brothers shoulders, staring at the place they were running away from, crying huge tears that trickled down her cheeks. Lanthir noticed and quickly adjusted his grip on her to something closer to a hug.

"Why are you crying, little one?" he whispered softly in her ear. "What is so wrong?"  
The elfling hiccupped a few times, and then came the answer, softly and immensly sad. "Bear," she whispered. "I lost Bear during the sneaking."

* * *

As the daylight faded into twilight, they finally gained enough distance on the orcs to let them disappear, even from elvish sight. The brothers slowed their rundown to a walk, grateful they finally could get some rest. Legolas put the extremely frustrated Limloeth on her own two feet again and took the sleeping Lainfea from his brother.

The elfling had tried so hard to stay awake, trying to convince her brothers that there was no way in the world she would ever be able to sleep without Bear, but her body had betrayed her, and she had eventually dozed off.

Legolas felt so sorry for her. She had found something to love, a way to be less afraid. For a few weeks she had been a normal little girl, who played, and pretended her toy was alive.  
By following him, she had lost that life again, as quickly as it was gained. Lainfea had not lost a toy today, she had lost a friend. A friend she could tell secrets to, and a friend that would keep her safe. Her cheeks were still damp with tears.

"Legolas? "Lanthir said as he walked beside his brother. "Let's stop here for the night," Legolas shook his head. As much as he would like to do that, the orcs were still following.  
"Not until we have found shelter."  
Lanthir spread his arms and turned around. "Can't you see were we are?" he asked. "This is our shelter. This is the place I was leading us to. No orc will ever follow us here!"

Legolas looked around, not understanding what Lanthir meant. There were no trees here, and no rocks. There weren't even bushes large enough to hide behind. He gave Lanthir a puzzled look.  
"It is a swamp. I knew about it from a book I read. " Lanthir explained. "No orc would follow us into a swamp. They can't walk like elves. They would be sucked in within the minute."  
Lanthir looked very pleased with his own cleverness.  
Legolas smiled. One part of his brother would never change.  
"Alright," Legolas agreed. "If you can find a place dry enough to stay at for a while, we will camp there."  
"Consider it done," Lanthir said, as he darted off to scout ahead.

Limloeth still walked silently besides Legolas. She moved stiffly, and looked very pale. She hadn't spoken since Lainfea had asked her if she could run. She was exhausted, felt terrible, and was disgusted with her weakness.  
"Can't you heal yourself?" Legolas asked.  
She shook her head. "I can't heal anyone right now. I have to rest first.  
Then, maybe, I'll try."  
"Lanthir is scouting for a place." Legolas tried the cheer her up. "He is right. The orcs will not follow us here."  
She shook her head again. "I don't like this place," she said. "It feels... wrong."  
They were silent for a while as Legolas tried to feel what she felt.  
"And I don't think those lights were there before." Limloeth pointed.

Legolas had to agree.  
"Maybe it's Lanthir." He tried to come up with a logic explanation, but Lanthir chose that moment to arrive, from a completely different direction.  
"I found the perfect place to rest," he said triumphantly, albeit a little out of breath.  
"Lanthir?" his brother asked him. "Do you see those little lights over there?" Lanthir followed his brothers finger with his eyes and swallowed.  
"I thougt those were only stories," he said with a hoarse voice.  
" Lanth..." Legolas asked suspiciously, "What exactly is this place?"

Lanthir took a deep breath. "It is what is left of Dagorlad," he said, and swallowed once more.  
"Otherwise know as the Dead Marshes."

* * *

TBC...

Moonshine44: Thanks!

Rutu: Well I couldn't post trice.. When you reviewed the second time it was 2 at nigth here, and I was asleep.

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Grin. I'm smiling again.

Karone Evertree: Yes, feeling the orcs pain must really hurt.

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: I bet they did too. They really need to be together. And yes, it couls have been one chapter. But then I would skip the nice : "OH NO , LIMLOETH!" Cliffie. And that would be a shame.


	23. Chapter 22

Chapter 22

Legolas watched the lights in the distance as they moved in strange patterns across the swamp. He was trying to predict if they were coming closer, because he was the one on guard duty, and he would be they one to keep them safe.

Limloeth and Lainfea were both fast asleep on the spot Lanthir had showed them. Legolas had to admit the place was dry and sheltered and the ground was stable. Yet he also agreed with Limloeth. The place just felt wrong.

Legolas saw a figure move in his direction and he reached for his bow.  
"It's only me," Lanthir said holding his hands up. Legolas' hand stayed.  
Lanthir dropped one of their waterskins on the floor. It was empty.  
"We need to put the water on ration," the younger elf said.  
"Why? There is water all around us." Legolas didn't understand.  
"We don't want to drink that," Lanthir answered shuddering at the thought. "We really, really don't."

The two brothers sat together in silence for a while, both of them watching the lights in the distance.

"Legolas?" Lanthir said after a moment more of tranquility. "Can we talk for a while? I need to say something."  
Legolas nodded quickly; he had never seen his brother so unsure before.

Lanthir stared at the lights sparkling in the void for a time.  
"Maybe they're just fireflies," he said, not taking his eyes off the illuminations contrasting with the stark blackness of the night.  
"Maybe," Legolas said.

"But I doubt that was what you wanted to say, or was it?" he continued as he looked at his younger sibling.  
"I just..." Lanthir started "I just have to say... I'm sorry."  
"About what, Lanth?" Legolas asked, confused. "About leading us here? You shouldn't be. We needed a place away from the orcs, and you found it. Very smart thinking."  
"I asked you to trust me, and all I did was lead us into more danger" Lanthir replied, tearing his gaze from the lights to the ground at his feet.

"You don't know you lead us into more danger-" Legolas started, but Lanthir quickly cut him off.  
"There's something wrong with this place, and we all feel it. And those lights... those lights..."

Legolas gave his brother a small push.  
"Hey, you know maybe... " he said. "Maybe those lights are just fireflies."  
Lanthir snorted.

They sat in a comfortable silence for a while more.

"Legolas?" Lanthir said, finally breaking the quiet.  
"Hmm?" His brother answered.  
"I just didn't see. I should have realized you needed to go home. I was wrong to be angry."  
Legolas turned so he could look his brother in his eye.  
"No you were not," he said firmly. "You were right. I should have told you I left. I knew that. I was just too scared that you would manage to convince me to stay if I told you."  
"You should have just told us how you felt. We wouldn't have made you stay."  
Legolas shrugged. "You all just seemed so happy. I didn't want to ruin it."

Lanthir stared in the distance once again. There was something about those lights that made you almost have to look at them.

"I was happy" he said very softly. "I thought I would never have to kill again."  
"I thought you liked it," Legolas said, a bit surprised.  
"No-one in his right mind enjoys taking life." Lanthir said a bit grumpily. "I hate what it does to me."  
"What it does to you?" Legolas said, not understanding. All slaying did to him was keep him alive.  
Lanthir thought about it for a very long time, trying to get his mind straight. "You were right, Legolas, I do like killing. What does that make me?"

Legolas smiled. "According to your own reasoning, it makes you a nutcase."  
Lanthir gave him a deadly glare. "Don't joke; I'm serious! I like it. What does that make me? An orc?"  
Legolas shook his head, suddenly very serious again. "No, Lanthir, it does not make you an orc."  
"A monster."  
Legolas grabbed Lanthir's arm and forced his brother to look him in the eyes.  
"You," he said, "Are not a monster."

Lanthir tried to look away.  
"I'm just so scared that I wasn't supposed to be like this. That Mordor has changed me. And when I was in Osgiliath I felt different. Lighter. "  
"You are not a monster, Lanthir," Legolas repeated, not knowing how to convince his brother of something that obvious.  
"Limloeth said killing darkens the soul," Lanthir whispered in despair.  
"Limloeth said that killing darkens her soul. Not yours. I know she wishes she was more like you. You are NOT a orc."  
"How do you know?" Lanthir asked miserably.  
"Because I know you, you idiot! Now stop worrying or I will turn you into one!"

Lanthir grinned, happy that he could still do so.  
"Oh really? And how exactly, will you go about doing that"  
"Oh you think I can't handle you? Please. You are a boy, you are no match for a adult like me!"  
"An Adult? You? If you're an adult, orcs stand a chance at the Lorien Beauty Contest."

Legolas was thinking of a good reply to that one, when a small voice interrupted their banter.

"Stop making noises! I am all awake now." The youngest of their sisters said.  
"All awake, Lainfea?" Legolas asked, amused at her way of talking. "Oh poor little girl."  
The elfling nodded "And now I can't sleep anymore," she said as tears formed in her eyes.  
"Can't sleep? Sweetheart, come here. What is so wrong?" Legolas opened his arms and waited until the elfling wiggled herself into them. He pulled his cloak around her and rocked back and forth.

"Now, tell your big brother why you are crying so," he said.  
"I miss Bear," Lainfea cried.

Legolas didn't know what to do. All he could think of to solve Lainfea's problem was to go back and steal the bear from the orcs. But that way he would risk his life for a toy. No matter how much he loved Lainfea and wanted to see her happy, that was not something he would do. With his eyes he sought Lanthir, begging him for help. His brother understood.

"Lainfea," Lanthir said gently. "You shouldn't be so sad. Bear is very happy now."  
Lainfea looked at him as if he was insane. "He is with orcs" she told her brother.  
"Indeed," Lanthir allowed. "But he likes it there. You know why?"  
Lainfea shook her head.  
"Because bear is actually not a little bear at all. When he is with orcs, he transforms into this huge, strong, warrior bear, and you know what he does? He scares orcs. There is nothing he likes better."  
"You are lying," Lainfea concluded.  
"No, I'm not," Lanthir answered.  
"Yes, you are," the little girl said, tears brimming in her eyes again.  
"No I'm not," Lanthir said once more. "And if you don't believe me, I will have to tickle you until you do."

The little girl shook her head. "You are lying."  
Lanthir got closer and and stretched out his arms. Then his fingers found her belly.  
"Noooooo!" Lainfea giggled. "Stop! Save me Legolas, save me!"  
"You know what you have to say first!" Lanthir answered, still mercilessly tickling her.  
"I believe you!" the girl screamed. "I believe you!"

Without fully waking up, Limoeth lifted her head a little. All she groggily said was; "Lanthir stop teasing your sister, and let me sleep..." before she drifted back to sleep.  
Lanthir grinned at his older sister, and stopped tickling his younger one.  
"Good," he said to Lainfea. "I knew you would. Now you can sleep?"

Lainfea shook her head. "I want a song," she said. "I want the Nana-song."  
Legolas and Lanthir exchanged glances before starting to sing at the same time.

* * *

Later that night they sat together in silence again watching their sleeping sisters, neither really wanted to sleep with those light around them.

"Have you brought a needle or something?" Lanthir asked after a while.

Legolas stared at his brother. "Of course not. Why would I have? What are you thinking: 'Legolas stole knives from Artamir's weaponry, so he must have robbed Biddy's sewing-basket as well?'"  
Lanthir shrugged. "I was just thinking... my cloak is too long. I've stolen it from Artamir."  
"So... just cut it. There is no one here to see it's frayed."  
"I was going to, I just thought we could use the spare fabric. You know.. to fix something. For Lainfea. Maybe a new Bear. I thought it would be nice." He sighed. "Forget it."

"I could shoot a rabbit tomorrow," Legolas said thoughtfully. "We could make needles from its bones."  
Lanthir grinned. "Good."  
"Good," Legolas repeated. He smiled.

To think his little brother had been actually been afraid of becoming an orc.

* * *

TBC..(maybe today.. If you are nice and review)

Roguish Smile: Yes, poor Lainfea.. The lost of her bear will traumatize her more than those 20 years of Mordor slavery.. There is no doubt about that.. grin

Moriarwen, kel: They migth have no choice..

Karone Evertree: Yes a search party!That would be a great idea.. (expect the brave people of the searchparty would find orcs before they would find bear.)

sagralightfang: thanks! (I can't say more to "wow")

Rutu : "But, nothing can happen really, can it?" ehmmm wistled innocently and looks away

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: I have a map I could send you, on how they got there.. Basicly, If you move from North Ithillien to Mirkwood in a straight line and you stray a little, you end up in the dead Marches.

That was it!

Be nice and review, and I migth send another chapter today!

Liek


	24. Chapter 23

Chapter 23

Legolas started from his sleep as his oldest sister screamed. He had not meant to sleep, but apparently his body had been worn out enough to ignore his powerfull will.

"What's wrong?" he asked,looking around for what had scared her so, but seeing nothing.  
Limloeth was still asleep, twisting, turning,and fighting her dreams.  
"Leave me!" she screamed.  
"Legolas," he heard his youngest sister say. "What is wrong with Limloeth?"  
"She is just dreaming Lainfea, I'll wake her up."  
"I'll help! I like waking people," the little girl said happily and skipped towards the water, taking the empty waterskin with her.

"Lainfea, no! Wait..." Legolas said, but he was interrupted by his older sister.  
"LEAVE ME ALONE!" Limloeth screamed.  
"I didn't do anything!" Lanthir said grumpily as he woke, not realizing she was not addressing him.  
Legolas smiled. "Guilty conscience?"

His brother ignored the question and looked at their sister instead. "Is she dreaming?"  
Legolas nodded and knelt beside his sister.  
"Limloeth, wake up. Come on... It's only a dream," he said, waving his hand slowly in front of her eyes. Lanthir reached her other side. "Come on, Lim, just wake up and it will be over. You just have to blink," the younger brother said.

Limloeth gave no sign she had heard them, but kept fighting and screaming.

Legolas was worried. He was familiar with nightmares, all the siblings were; it was a knowledge that was naturally connected with living in Mordor. However, never before had it taken one of them this long to wake up. "Come on,  
Limloeth..." he kept repeating. "You are stronger than this, I know you are."

"This is not a dream," Lanthir said suddenly.  
Legolas tried to understand his brother's meaning. "What do you think it is then? She is not awake either."  
Lanthir shrugged. "I just know it is not a dream. If it was a dream, she would have realized it somehow. Besides, it feels... different. Like she is in danger. Something isn't right..."

"I am not dead," Limloeth whispered. "I'm Limoeth Thranduilliel, and I will not join you, for I am not dead. Please... I am not dead. Leave me. Please." Her voice softened until it died.  
"Limloeth?" Legolas asked. "Limloeth, come back to us. We need you." Legolas grabbed her hand but almost dropped it. "She feels like ice," he told Lanthir with a hoarse voice.

His brother didn't listen but kept his eyes fixed upon Limloeth's own. "Her eyes," he whispered. "Look at her eyes."

Limloeth's eyes were no longer the brown eyes that reminded Legolas so much of his mother. They were constantly changing, from blue, to green and even to the yellow, blood-streaked eyes of and orc once. It was as if a thousand souls stayed inside Limloeth's body, fighting to peer out of the window of her eyes. Legolas felt sick of fear, but then her sister spoke again.

"I'm Limloeth Thranduilliel," she whispered a second time. "I. Am. Limloeth. Thranduilliel." Her eyelids shivered a few times as if she was trying to wake up and then they closed.

"NO!" Lanthir yelled in anger.

Legolas did the only thing he could think of. He fiercely slapped his sister in the face, mentally apologizing as he did so.  
Her eyes shot open, back to their usual brown,and she blinked a couple of times.  
"Legolas?" Limloeth asked weakly.

Legolas let out all the breath he didn't even knew he had held. He hugged his sister. "Oh Lim... I'm so glad to see you."  
"Wait," Lanthir said. "How do we know it is really her? We have to make sure. Ask something... Lim.. What is your favorite color?"

Limloeth gave her little brother a glare.  
"Come on, Lim.. say something."  
Legolas could feel his sister sigh.  
"The color of your blood is all that comes to mind right now," she said.  
"See!" Lanthir told his brother. "Limloeth's favorite color is green. I told you..."  
"LANTHIR!" Limloeth interrupted. "Will you stop being the most annoying person upon his earth for two seconds and respect the fact that I have a huge headache!"

Legolas grinned and looked at his brother, who was staring at Limloeth.  
"Lanth..." Legolas said, trying not to laugh out loud. "I wouldn't worry. It's definatly her."

The two older siblings watched, grins on their faces, as Lanthir stamped off to the other side of their camp. Then Limloeth grabbed her head in pain.  
"Legolas, you have to promise me something," she said, her voice full of pain. Legolas face was serious once more.  
"Anything," he said.  
"As long as we are here, I will not sleep again. Promise me that you will not let me sleep. Promise!" she demanded.

Legolas hesitated. He could see the bruised and scars on her body. He could see the dark circles that had returned under her eyes. She needed to rest.

She needed to rest so she could heal herself.

"What happened? What happens when you are sleeping?" he asked his sister,trying to understand what she was asking him to prevent.

His sister paled and stared in the distance. It was no longer dark, but the lights had not gone away. They had stayed on the horizon, begging the elves to follow them, inviting them.

"Limloeth?" Legolas asked, waving his hand in front of her eyes. "What happens when you sleep?"  
"They come," she said quietly. "They come, and I'm not awake to stop them from entering."  
"What?" Legolas asked, not understanding. "What do you mean? Who comes?"  
His sister stared at the distance again. "Them," she said as the nodded at the lights. "The souls of the warriors that died here."  
"Orc souls?" he said, not believing a thing like that existed.

Limloeth shook her head. "Sometimes, but I can handle those. It are the elf souls that are most dangerous. They are so strong..." She stared at the distant lights again.  
"I don't understand," Legolas said. If they are elves, why would they try to hurt you?"

Limloeth shook her head. "They are not trying to hurt me," she tried to explain. "They are only trying to get out of here. To get to the Halls of the Waiting. My body offers them a change. They want to be out of there so badly, but if they take over my body, I am stuck here. Don't let me get stuck here, Legolas. Promise, you will not leave me here."

"Why don't they try to enter my brain? Why don't they try to take over Lanthir's body?"  
Limloeth smiled a bit sadly.  
"They do try, Legolas, but your minds are closed. You have better defense walls built around them. I was silly enough to open mine. I need to be open, to be able to heal." She shrugged. "I can't really explain."

However, Legolas had gotten the general idea.  
"I will keep you awake," he said, taking her hand in his. "I promise."

She sighed, relieved, and they sat together in silence for a while. Legolas found himself staring at the lights with her.  
"Are you sure they are elves" he asked.  
Limloeth nodded. "And men as well; warriors from the Last Alliance. Orcs too. All those who died and were left here."  
"I can understand why they want to leave..." Legolas said.

Limloeth's face grimaced in pain. "Me too," she whispered. "I can understand so well."

Lanthir strode upto them, his anger at his sibling's teasing forgotten as he had realized something.

"Legolas?" he asked "Where is Lainfea?"  
Legolas answered without thinking. "Oh, she just went to get some water to throw over Limloeth to wake her up," he said And then he realized that that happened far too long ago.

Lanthir stared at him. His face was white, his eyes wide. "She went to get water? Valar no..." he whispered faintly, and then sprinted off as fast as he could.

Legolas and Limloeth looked at each other.  
"What is wrong with the water? She can swim, right?" Limloeth asked her brother.  
But Legolas remembered the look on his brother's face when he had talked about the water last night.

"We'd better follow," he said, fearing the worst.

* * *

TBC

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur : I'm so terribly sorry. I totally forgot to anwer your review..  
I hope I made up for it by posting this chapter.

SORRY!

Liek


	25. Chapter 24

Chapter 24

They ran after Lanthir as fast as they could, trying to catch up with him. Legolas wished he had checked the water yesterday, so he would have known what to fear, but he had forgotten about it. He had been too tired, too worn out to do anything more than sit, and now it meant he was running towards an unknown danger.

Suddently Limloeth stopped running and supported her head with a hand.  
"It gets stronger" she said. "It gets stronger near the water."  
"WHAT gets stronger near the water?" Legolas snapped.  
He felt extremely frustrated. Lanthir knew what was wrong with the water, yet he ran ahead without telling Legolas, and Limloeth could feel something,but couldn't explain. He knew nothing. Just that something was wrong with the water and Lainfea was gone.  
Limloeth looked at him sympathetically, a fact Legolas found even more annoying.  
"The souls, Legolas. I can feel them getting stronger. Like we're get closer towards them..."

She was interrupted by Lanthir, further up ahead. Their brother had reached the water and yelled. The other two ignored Limloeth's feelings about the water and got there as fast as they could. Lanthir had fallen to his knees, clutching the empty waterskin Lainfea had taken. The little girl, however, was nowhere to be found.

"We are too late, we are too late" Lanthir kept repeating. "They got her, she is gone. We are too late." Limloeth began shivering. Legolas glared aside. Limloeth was growing extremely pale. He could see that somehow the grip the souls had on Limloeth was increased. They would have to get out of here fast. But not without Lainfea.

"Lanthir" he said placing a hand on his brother's shoulder. "Where is Lainfea?"  
"We are too late" Lanthir whispered. "We are to late to prevent it."  
Legolas resisted the urge to slap his brother in the face. Why couldn't any of his siblings just answer the questions he asked? Did they think he had some sort of mystical ability to understand everything?

He sighed. "We are too late to prevent what ?"  
"Can't you feel it? They are pushing us, pulling us into the water. Can't you feel?"  
Legolas was about to snap at Lanthir, but Limloeth nodded.  
"Yes" she said, her eyes wide. "They are inviting us. Follow the lights. Lainfea followed the lights. Lanthir is right, we are too late to prevent it." Tears formed in her eyes.  
"Who? Why? What are the two of you jammering about!" Legolas asked in disgust. His siblings would so need a few lessons sharing information when they got out of here.

None of them answered. The two of them were gazing at the water, feeling something Legolas could not feel. He followed their stare to the water and then he saw them for the first time. There were dead things floating in the water. Elves, men and orcs. It was as Limloeth had said; those who had fought here and were left behind.

He could feel their souls pulling at him and he suddenly understood what his siblings meant. They were inviting him into the water. "You are one of us" they said. "You fought hard, but failed. All that you care for is lost. Join us."

"It was my fault" Limloeth said beside him. "She went to get water to wake me. If I hadn't been so weak... I had been a warrior like you... It is all my fault."  
But Lanthir interrupted. "You were asleep. Nothing of this was your fault. It was mine. I should have realized something was wrong. I should have realized she was missing. I was just so angry at you, I didn't notice. I let my pride get into the way of saving my sister. She needed me and I wasn't there. I am a monster."

But Legolas knew his brother wasn't. His siblings weren't to blame. They were not the ones responsible. He was. Being the eldest, he needed to take care of his siblings. But he had let Lainfea walk away when he should have prevented it. What kind of a protecter was he, if let a little child wander off alone in a haunted swamp?

Yet deep in his heart he knew why he had. He had trusted his little sister to be stronger than this. Deep in this heart he had trusted Lainfea's strength more than Limloeth's or Lanthir's. He had believed  
that she would be above all this soul-nonsense. Lainfea was far too practical to be pulled into the water by a corpse.

Yet she was nowhere to be found. They had lost her.

His mind floated back twenty years ago.

A tiny baby lay in his mother's arms as he entered.

"Hello, sweetheart" she said smiling, ignoring the orcs as she smiled at her son. "Come and meet your little sister."  
Legolas, however, did not look at the baby, he looked at his mother first. She had never looked this bad. Her skin had a yellowish, sickly glow, and there were bruises all over her face. She looked so tired. Yet when she looked at the new baby, her face looked happier than it had since when they were back in Greenwood.  
He looked around to Limloeth and Lanthir, both cowering in the corner, staring at the orcs. One of the orcs spit at their mother, then they gave Legolas a last push and moved away.  
"Come closer" their mother said"Come here, and meet this beautiful baby. You too, Lanth.. Lim.. Come here."

The three siblings all stood crowded around their mother and the newborn baby. The child looked so vulnerable. A small body with stick-arms and stick-legs.  
"This" his mother said"Is little Lainfea. Isn't she beautiful?"  
Legolas didn't think so, but the dared not say it. The girl looked much too weak.

"She needs you help a little bit, sweethearts. There is not much light here, so we all need to give her some. We all have to work together and shield her from the darkness a little. Will you do that? For Lainfea?"  
Legolas looked at the baby once more. The child stared back. Legolas touched her cheek with his finger. The baby moved, and one of her little hands grasped his finger. Legolas could feel her grip, and knew he had been wrong about this child.  
Little Lainfea was not weak at all.  
"Nana... " he said. "Don't worry. I will protect her. I will keep her safe."

* * *

But he had failed. It was all his fault. He should have died in her place.

"Come on..." an unknown voice said in his head. " Come on... give your body to us. You don't want to live anymore. We do. Come on... Give your body to us... Meet that little one again."  
He could almost feel fingers pulling at his body.  
From the corner of his eye he could see Limloeth moving towards the water.

His mind struggled. She shouldn't do that. There was something wrong with the water. He couldn't remember why. But there was something wrong.

He could see Lanthir move as well.

"Come on..." the voice in his head spoke again. "You are guilty of your little sisters death. You do not deserve to live. I do. Give your body to me. Move towards the water."

But there was something wrong with the water. What was wrong with the water? He didn't remember. Limloeth and Lanthir had almost reached it. They were leaving him.

"Wait!" he said. They didn't listen.  
"WAIT!" he said once more, and moved towards his siblings.  
"WAIT FOR ME!"

* * *

"Are we all going swimming?"a little voice came from behind. "I love swimming!"

* * *

TBC..

Roguish Smile: Thanks

Moriarwen: Poor lanthir, poor limloeth, poor legolas , poor thranduil, poor lalaith?

Karone Evertree: No.. lain wasn't the one following the lights..

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: grin Lain is OK..

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: I will send you the map.. Tomorrow.. Promise.. Now, I'm of the bed.

Rutu: Now, you can review while I am sleeping...

moonshine44: Cool! I have written a weird story! ( could you explain in what way? I would Love to know)

As it is 1 at night were I live, I'm off to bed. See you all later.

Liek


	26. Chapter 25

Chapter 25.

Legolas knew that voice from somewhere. He had heard it before.  
"Legolas?" A little hand tugged his sleeve. "Legolas? Are you sleeping?"  
It was as if that voice meant something. Like the water, there was something wrong with the water.  
"Come on..." another voice interrupted. "You don't want to live. You don't deserve it. You killed you sister. Step into the water!"  
The tugging on his sleeve become more urgent.  
"Legolas, Come look at what I found. We can swim there too. Swimming is not fun if you are all sleepy."  
"Come..." the other voice called. "Join us..."  
The tugging on his sleeve stopped. It was replaced by something else. A bite. Something was biting in his arm. His trail of thought was broken.

"LAINFEA! OUCH" he shouted. "What are you doing?" The girl gave him the most innocent look she could muster. "You didn't wake," she said by way of explaining her actions.

Legolas quickly checked his other siblings. They were horribly close to the water, but they had stopped moving forwards. He could see them hesitating, wondering, like he had, what the new voice meant. He nodded at them while rubbing his arm.

"We have to wake them too, and soon."  
"I'll do it! I'll do it!"  
"No, stop," Legolas stretched out this arm and caught the elfling's belt. "I don't think they would appreciate your way of waking people, Lain..."  
She looked at Legolas a bit grumpily. "I tried shaking first..." she said defensively.

Lanthir suddenly shook his head and blinked his eyes. "Lainfea?" he asked, as if he had just awoken from a very deep sleep. He shook his head once more and gazed around. "Lainfea!" he yelled as he spotted his younger sister, and realized his ears had not deceived him. He ran towards her, lifting her up and hugging her as tight as he could, planting a light kiss on each cheek.

Then his voice changed. "Where, in the name of the Valar, did you go? Did you not realize this is a dangerous place? That was very foolish! How could you do that to us?"  
"Lanthir!" Legolas interrupted his brother, as he saw tears form in Lainfea's eyes.  
"But-" Lanthir started to protest.  
Legolas cut him off. "This is not the time, or the place."  
"But- "  
This time he was interrupted by a loud splash. The argument was forgotten, and all three of them rushed towards the water to get Limloeth out.

It took both Lanthir and Legolas to pull their sister out of the water. Limloeth struggled as hard as she could, but Legolas and Lanthir pinned her to the ground.

"Let me go, Let me go!" she screamed hystericly. "I don't deserve to live. I'm too weak. I'm useless. Let me be of use the only way I can! Let me go! Let...ME..."  
"Lim, listen to me, you do deserve to live. Nothing happened. You are not weak. We need you, we can't reach Greenwood without you. " Nothing Legolas said seemed to have any effect. Limloeth kept fighting her brothers, trying to get back to the water. When words didn't work, Legolas tried shaking his sister, but it only caused her to fight harder.  
"Let me GO!" she screamed. Legolas felt he was losing his grip. Limloeth tried to pull her body free from his arms. He wouldn't be able to hold much longer. Just one pull, and...

But suddenly Limloeth stopped screaming. "Ouch!" she said. Suspiciously Legolas glared at Lainfea who was sittting on the other side of Limloeth next to Lanthir. The little girl grinned innocently and quickly moved to cover the bitemark on Limoeths hand. Legolas grinned back.

"What happened? Is Lainfea...?" Limloeth asked.  
"Lainfea is fine," Legolas supplied. "She is right there, see"  
"In fact," Lanthir added, "she is just about to explain why she ran away, isn't she?"  
Legolas gave his brother a glare. "Lanthir... place nor time."  
"I didn't run away," Lainfea said. "I just went to see the nice man in the water who called my name."

Three pairs of eyes turned towards her in shock.  
"The nice man in the water?" Legolas repeated.  
Lainfea nodded happily. "First I just followed Skipper, because he said he'd show me his home. But then the nice man talked to me."  
"What?" Lanthir snapped, causing Legolas to grin. Now his brother knew how it felt to not get the information he wanted.  
"Who is Skipper, Lainfea?" he asked, having learned you had to be specific if you wanted your questions answered.

The little girl reached carefully into one of her pockets and pulled out a medium-sized frog. "He is my new friend. He knows the way. And he is friends with the nice man." She smiled.  
"Did the nice man try to pull you into the water, Lainfea?" Limloeth asked, concerned.  
"No," she said, almost angry. "He is nice. He gave me a present!" She reached into her pocket again, carefully placing the frog back and pulled out something else.

Legolas stared in shock at the object in the little girl's hands. It was a silver necklace, with a beautifull round pendant. An elven insignia. Legolas swallowed. He knew that insignia, for it was the house of Oropher's and he had once worn it himself.

"Where did you find this, Lain?" he asked with a hoarse voice.  
"The nice man in the water gave it to me," she repeated slowly, like she was explaining something to a very young child. She didn't really understand why they just didn't get it.  
Legolas looked at Limloeth. "Can you walk, Lim?" he asked her. She nodded.  
"Run if you have too?" Another nod.  
"I want to know where that came from," she said, nodding at the pendant.  
Legolas stood up, pulling Limloeth up as well.  
"Lain? We would really like to meet that nice man in the water."  
"We do?" Lanthir asked, confused, but Legolas ignored him and continued. "Can you take us there?"  
Lainfea nodded and led the way.

The girl danced across the swamp, ignoring the dead bodies in the water , until she reached a large pool.

"There he is," the elfling said, and pointed at an elven body in the water.  
Legolas swallowed. He recognized the elf.  
Lanthir's eyes grew wide. "Legolas?" he whispered. "Is that...? Is that Ada?"  
Legolas slowly shook his head. "No..." he said. "It's Oropher. Our grandfather. Come on. Let's go," he said. The mystery was solved. Now they would have to get out of here, before something happened. He could see Limloeth shivering.

Limloeth hesitated. "Shouldn't we do something? He is our Grandfather. Shouldn't we at least sing a lament for him or something?"  
"Why?" Lanthir said. "We didn't even know the guy. Let's go."  
"But he is our grandfather, Lanthir. Imagine to be stuck here forever. Can't we sing a funeral song ? Maybe it will help his soul to rest..."  
"A song!" Lainfea said happily. "We will sing you a song, nice man. All of us Thranduils will sing you a song. Then you can stop calling for us!"  
Legolas looked at his little sister in confusion. Calling for us? What did she mean? And then he heard it too. The dead body of Oropher was humming the same name over and over again. "Thranduil. Thranduil. Come back.You can't leave me here, Thranduil..." It was a continuing song almost too soft to hear, and it sent shivers through Legolas spine.  
"We are leaving" he said, and turned around. On his way he picked Lainfea up from the ground and carried her. Lanthir followed close behind.

They walked a few meters until they realized Limloeth was not following.  
Legolas turned. "Lim?" he said. "We are leaving, are you coming with us?"  
The girl turned around.  
The colour of her eyes had changed from brown to bright blue. Legolas had seen those eyes before. In his father's study had been a portrait of Oropher with those same eyes.

"I will come with you," she said, though her voice had changed beyond recognition. "In fact; I will lead you. Move."

* * *

TBC...

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: OR she can hear them, but makes nice new friends.. (even though they are a little dead..)

Randa-Chan: He! glad to see you are back, and I didn't lose you on chapter 7.. I was actually a bit worried.

I'm sorry.. but for three reasons i will not use your feedback though i duid apopreciate it.

The first reason is, I have justfinished chapter 38.. the one before tha last..

The second is.. that I've read many stories where Elrond's heaaling power is descriped as something like Limloeths, so it does n't seem so very out of place in the LOTR universe to me.. (and I know that Elrond has a ring and he is part Maiar and everything... but still: the elves of Mirkwood have no rings, but Magic this: their palace doors, the enchanted stream.. That's got to come from somewhere, right?)

And as for Lainfea.. I'm sorry to hurt your faith in humanity, but girls of tat age can kill. I have read enough real life stories of countries in war not to know.

There are children on this world of that age who carry machine guns and are not afraid to use it.

Don't get me wrong.. I would never approve violence in RL.. But it does happen.

And as for bad dreams and insanity.. She will be bothered by this later in life, of course. .. Thranduil will just have to do the best he and to prevent it..

I hope I didn't lose you now..

Moriarwen: waking up their dead grandfather, that is what they are doing!

Karone Evertree: GRIN

Rutu: I updated again today!


	27. Chapter 26

Chapter 26.

The siblings all stared at their Grandfather using Limloeth's body. They were a bit shocked to hear such a voice coming from their sister.

"What?" Oropher said. "You all stare at me like I am some kind of orc."  
"What have you done to Limloeth?" Legolas asked with a low and threatening voice.  
"What?" Oropher said, like he couldn't believe the question. "Nothing! I did nothing to her! Do you think I would hurt my own grandchild? What do you take me for? A monster?"  
"Indeed," Lanthir agreed.

"If you didn't hurt her, then where is she?" Legolas asked quickly, to draw the attention away from his brother.  
Oropher sighed. "She is inside this body, as I am. She offered to share it so I could get out of the swamp. Very kind girl. Clever, too."  
"She would never do that! That's too dangerous! That's... that's... " Lanthir shouted angrily.  
"Please, my boy" Oropher interrupted him. "Keep the volume down a little. I'm **dead**, not **deaf**. And nothing will happen to you sister. She is quite capable of doing this. Limloeth is a very strong girl. It will be alright. Now... follow me."

None of the siblings moved. Lainfea clutched Legolas' leg.  
"Limloeth is acting really weird," she whispered.  
"Follow me, children," Oropher repeated, a bit more forcefully.

"We are not following you!" Legolas said.  
Oropher stared at him. "Of course you are. I'm your leader, and your king."  
"**Thranduil **is our king," Lanthir said glaring at his grandfather.  
"And no one appointed you as our leader" Legolas added.  
Oropher visibly began to lose his patience. "**Nature** has appointed me, boys. I'm older and stronger than all of you. That makes me the natural leader."  
"Being older means nothing," Lanthir protested, glancing sideways at Legolas.  
"And you are not stronger. You are in Limloeth's body. I'm stronger than she is."

Oropher sighed. "Alright," he said. "Show me that you're stronger. Come on, prove it."  
Legolas didn't move. If Oropher was right, then Limloeth was still in her body somewhere. Her body was still recovering from the torture of orcs. He did not wish to hurt her further.  
"If you want to be a leader,you must sometimes hurt those you care about," Oropher said.  
"Maybe I don't want to be a leader," Legolas replied.  
Oropher smiled. Legolas had fallen for his trap, just like his father would have.  
"So, you agree upon my leadership then?"  
But the older elf hadn't won the argument yet.

"We don't trust you," Legolas said. "Leadership requires trust."  
Legolas found it difficult to trust someone when their masculine voice was coming from his younger sister, even if that someone was his grandfather.  
Oropher smiled sadly. "That's what I said to Gil-Galad when I refused him as my leader. And look where it got me. Floating around in a swamp for an eternity."  
Silence presided over the scene for a few seconds.  
"Now," Oropher continued. "All I'm asking, is to lead you out of this swamp. From there, I will leave you and go to the Halls of Mandos. Your sister will have her body to herself again."  
"Why do you want to lead so badly? What's in it for us?" Lanthir asked.  
"Protection," Oropher answered.  
Lanthir choked back a laugh. It was a bit strange seeing Limloeth that self-assured.  
"Protection?" he asked sarcastically.  
"Protection," Oropher comfirmed. "After all, most of the bodies floating around here are under my command."

"I need a sign," Legolas said.  
"What?" Oropher said, not understanding.  
"A sign that Limloeth is still alive. You say that she is with you and all of this happened with her permission. Prove it."

Oropher blinked a few times. The color of his eyes slowly turned from blue to brown.  
"Legolas," Limloeth said in her own voice. "Grandfather is right."  
Lanthir freaked. "You mean he is telling the truth? You allowed this? That's it! You are now officially mental. I give up!" he said, throwing his hands in the air. "You are beyond saving. How could you do that?"  
"He is your grandfather, Lanthir!" Limloeth replied angrily. "Just because you are too insensitive to understand what a horrible place this is, doesn't mean that everybody else is! **You**'re calling **me** stupid? Well at least I care! I'm not a stupid, little, blind..."

"Are you sure you can survive this?" Legolas asked, interrupting their squabble. "I know you wantto help Oropher, and so does Lanthir. We just care about you, Lim. Don't throw away yourself for somebody else."  
"I can do this," she said, for once totally confident in her own strength.  
"Alright, but why can't you just be the one talking one? Why can't he just travel with us **unnoticed**?" Lanthir whined.  
"His soul is not as attached to my body as mine is, Lanth. He would not make it to the end of the Marshes. In fact, we have now reached about the limit his soul can take. I should retreat."

The color of her eyes changed once more.  
"Now, do you believe me?" Oropher asked. Legolas thought about it. His mind was convinced that Oropher spoke the truth. He didn't feel he trusted Oropher, but at least he his mind thought so.  
Plus, it would be so wonderful not to be the one in charge for a while. Not being the one responsible, not the one making the decisions.  
"We will follow you," Legolas said. " But only until the we leave the swamp."  
"Good," Oropher said. "Then we shall depart immediately. Where is your camp? We must gather your belongings."

Legolas bent down to pick up Lainfea.  
"The girl will walk herself," Oropher said.  
"She is only a child," Legolas protested. "She can't walk far."  
"She is a child," Oropher agreed. "But a grandchild of Oropher will not be spoiled like some Noldor prince. She will pull her own weight."  
"She is not spoiled. She was born in Mordor, Lanthir said.  
"And what do you want her to be when she grows up? Eternally grateful that you two set her free? Or proud, because she set herself free? Do you want your sister to be in your debt forever?"

Legolas looked Lainfea in the eye. "Can you walk yourself today?" he asked, ignoring the glare his grandfather gave him.

Lainfea nodded.  
"You will tell us, if you can't walk any further?" Legolas continued.

She gave another nod.  
"Limloeth is not Limloeth. Is she?" Lainfea asked, looking up at her oldest brother.  
"No," Legolas said. "Limloeth is the nice man from the water for a while."  
"He gave me a present," Lainfea stated.  
"Indeed," Legolas said, and stood upright. "Now let's go."

* * *

Oropher made them walk faster and longer than they usually would have. Legolas was worried. Their grandfather pushed Limloeth's body to its limits. Could he not feel she was still recovering from orc wounds? He also worried about his other siblings. Oropher had forced Lainfea to leave her new friend, Skipper the Frog, behind. Legolas could see how it had hurt the child to abandon another newly made friend. Yet she hadn't protested. That worried Legolas the most.

And then there was Lanthir. He did protest. In fact, he had returned to the annoying, whining Lanthir he had been when they had walked through Mordor. But unlike Legolas, Oropher did not have the insight to change Lanthir's behaviour. Their grandfather only gave stern comments and left no room for discussion of any kind. This only caused Lanthir to argue even more.

In some ways, Lanthir and Oropher were too alike to like each other. It was almost as if they could see their bad habits reflected in each other, but instead of learning from that experience, they those to lock horns.

It was an explosion waiting to happen. All Legolas could do was walk fast, and hope they would reach the end of the Marshes soon.

* * *

**TBC...**

_Moriarwen: yes Oropher posessed her.. BUT not without her permission.._

_Rutu: You had a feeling it was Oropher? Cool.. that was what i meant._

_Karone Evertree: Well Orph wasn't that bad.. he had permission.._

_Nessa Ar-Feiniel: The souls are trapped basisly because they in the wrong place to die._

_They fouth a great battle on these plains, before it turned into a swamp.._

_In my view: Their fellow warriors burried them, but the ground was already evil.. and they were locked inside.. The evilness of the ground made it impossible for their souls to leave.._

_Oh wait.. I was supposed to send you the map.. It is comming.. just a minute.._

_moonshine44: What is weird about a dead grandfather posessing the body of his grandchild with her permission? Alright, alright.. I see your point.._

_Aly K: your worthless,boring speech? I haven't read it.. What I did read was interesting and a great review! Thanks!_

_Isiliel: WOW. WOW... stares at your review. WOW._

_rambling,overanalyzing, and pesky questions ? I think NOT.. More PLEASE!_

_'Elvies' was deliberate.. I thought she would use a bit of childlanguage still.. when she is trying to be nice, but a little insecure.._

_Limloeth Clear Pool.._

_Lanthir Waterfall.._

_(Lainfea free spirit..)_

_CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Well here is an other treat.._

_sam611: Thanks.._


	28. Chapter 27

Chapter 27

Legolas sat in the dark and watched Oropher. Even without speaking, without seeing the strange new color of Limloeth's eyes, he could see it wasn't really his sister he was watching, but his grandfather.  
Oropher moved in a way Limloeth never would have. His shoulders were straight, the hair was pulled out of his face, and the way her face showed his emotion, made Legolas realize for the first time how alike Lanthir and Limloeth were.

Today had been another day he was forced to watch his grandfather and his brother glaring at each other, rasing their eyebrows and biting their lips.

It had started early, during their first break. Legolas and Lanthir had sparred together, trying to blow off steam. Legolas had seen the frustration in his little brother's eyes, and he had tried to find an outlet for it.

But the sparring idea hadn't worked; Oropher sat in the corner, watching and commenting on every move. "You fight like a human, Lanthir!" he had said.

"Move your feet. Come on! What kind of Noldor movement was that? And you call yourself a woodelf?"  
Legolas could see his brother get more frustrated. The strength of his blows grew while their accuracy dropped dramatically. Everytime Lanthir failed, Oropher would shout.

Legolas knew the comments Oropher gave were meant to improve Lanthir's fighting. And he had to admit that some of the points their grandfather made were justified, but somehow their grandfather expected too much of Lanthir.  
He forgot that Lanthir, and Legolas for that matter, were just boys. He failed to notice that that they weren't trained warriors, but elflings that had invented their own way of fighting in order to stay alive.

In a way it was a compliment to be treated like an adult, but Legolas could feel why his brother didn't see it that way. And Legolas didn't know of anyway to make the situation better then to step into Lanthir's blows and allow his little brother to win.  
This only caused both Lanthir and Oropher to turn their frustration to him.

It was Lainfea who saved the situation by informing them she had rested enough and she wanted to walk again. Legolas could have kissed her.

* * *

Oropher and Lanthir had walked the entire day without speaking to each other.

The oldest elf drove them hard; they took few pauses in their trek and made long days. Blisters had started to appear on Lainfea's feet. Legolas was growing increasingly worried. She had yet to complain. She still hadn't asked anyone to carry her, and she shook her head as Legolas asked her if she wanted to be.  
Legolas could guess the reason behind it. He had explained her that "the nice man from the water" in Limloeth's body was actually their grandfather, their ada's ada.

In Lainfea's eyes, who never had an ada but always longed for one, the ada of their ada was her saviour and protector, her hero. And she was determined not to let him down.  
If he said she had to leave her frog, she would leave her frog.  
If he said she could walk herself, she would walk herself. The last thing she wanted was to lose their new found 'Ada-ada'. The last thing she wanted was to lose his love.

Legolas longed for the moment they would get out of this swamp. To be out of the Marshes and with just the four of them again. He longed to see Limloeth as herself once more. He longed for Lanthir to be himself again.

But he feared for Lainfea. She didn't know their Ada-ada would leave them. She had been forced to lose so much already. Her home, Biddy and Artamir, Bear, Skipper the frog... and now her Ada-ada.

It was ironic, in a way. Legolas had longed so badly for someone to take the weight of his responsibility and leadership away from him, but now he had allowed Oropher take it, he realized that he wanted it back. He wanted to be able to make his own decisions again. To spar with his brother in his own way, to pick up his sister from the ground when he felt like it.

Oropher had noticed Legolas' stare.  
"You don't agree with the way I lead," he said. It wasn't a question.  
Legolas didn't answer.  
"Your father didn't either. He told me I pushed too hard. That I expected to much."  
"Maybe you do," Legolas answered.  
Oropher sighed, and looked at the ground. "You are a strong boy, Legolas. As is your brother. I couldn't wish for better grandsons. You should tell your father I told you that. And tell him I loved him. I'm not sure he knows. I'm not good at saying these things..."  
Legolas blinked, but continued looking at Oropher.

"We are close to the Brown Lands," Oropher said with a sad voice. "I've been wanting to leave these swamps for so long now, but now that I finally can, I'm not so sure anymore."  
"You must go, and give Limloeth her life back," Legolas said.  
Oropher didn't listen. He merely continued. "I prayed to the Valar I would get a chance to leave, and they have granted me this opportunity. Not only to leave, but to meet my grandchildren as well. And what did I do? I fell back into old routine. Pushing you like soldiers. Lanthir must hate me. And you, you were staring at me like your father did. Disapprovingly. I took over your sister's body. You must all hate me."  
"Lainfea likes you," Legolas countered.  
"Then I will hurt her. I will be dead tomorrow, and I will have hurt you all," Oropher replied.  
He was silent for a long time.

"Tell your father I loved him, boy. And tell him, he never failed to make me proud. There are too many things I didn't tell him when I was alive."

"Oh..." was all Legolas could say to that.  
"Will you tell him for me, Legolas?" Oropher asked, his voice trembling a little.  
Legolas nodded.  
"Good," Oropher said. It was silent for while more.  
"I guess this is how it feels to be mortal," Oropher said, his voice was distant, like he was not really talking to Legolas, but just thinking out loud. "To know your time is limitated. It puts things in perspective. You can't keep delaying everything, and you can't make too many mistakes. Valar knows you don't have the time to fix them. Tell your brother he is a fine elf, Legolas. Tell your sisters I'm proud of them. I wished I had more time to spend with you. I wish we would have met under different circumstances.

You could have liked me in a different setting."

The older elf looked at his grandson. Legolas was no longer listening, his eyes were distant, his breathing slow and even.

Oropher smiled. He walked towards Legolas and tucked him in a bit.  
"Farewell," he whispered. "Reach home savely"

* * *

When Legolas woke, he found Limloeth sitting on the place where Oropher sat the night before. She stared over the large brown plains ahead of them.  
"We were close enough," she said. "He left."  
"He can find his peace now," Legolas said. "You got him out. I'm very proud of you."  
"He is dead," she said, starting to cry.  
"He was dead before we were born," Legolas said. "We shouldn't be sad. We should be happy."  
Limloeth smiled through her tears. "I know **that**."

Next to him, Lanthir woke to the sound of Limloeth's voice. It took him a few seconds to realize what this meant, but once he did he was practically dancing.  
"Lim is back!" he said, hugging his sister. "No more Oropher! And we are out of the swamps! Oh, can this day get any better? Come on, Legolas. Let's wake Lainfea. Let's run. Come on!"

"Is Ada-ada Limloeth again?" Lainfea asked from the patch of ground she had been sleeping on.  
Legolas nodded. "I'm sorry sweety, but Ada-ada will not be back. He went to a better place."  
The girl thought about it for a long time.  
"Did Ada-ada not like us?" she asked, her lower lip starting to tremble.  
"Of course Ada-ada liked us. He gave you a present remember?" Legolas said.  
"Ada-ada only gives presents to little elflings he really, really likes."  
The little girl pulled the chain out of her pocket.  
"He gave me a present," she said.  
"Indeed," Legolas said. "And if you come here, I'll put it around your neck where it belongs, Lainfea, of the house of Oropher."  
"And then, we're going to run!" Lanthir added happily. "And I will carry you, Lain! We're out of the swamp! Now we just have to cross the Brown Lands and we will reach Greenwood!"  
Legolas checked the map he had copied. His little brother was right.  
They just had to cross the plains, and they would be home.  
"What are we waiting for?" he said. "Let's go!"

* * *

_**TBC**_

_**Well I just finished writing this fic.. It will be 39 chapters long. (plus an epilogue).**_

_Karone Evertree: I like Oropher too... He's got his hearth in the ritgh place.. he just missed communication skills.._

_Moriarwen: I think Orph prefers the term "strong leader"_

_moonshine44: Yes! chocolate would be a great idea!_

_Nessa Ar-Feiniel: After sauron is defeated the souls would be free, I think.. ( I love happy endings)_

_Aly K: Good I love to be unpreditible. But Orph isn't that mean.. He just can't communicate with childeren._

_Isiliel: Tolkien didn't write much about Oropher.. Just that he was considered a good leader by his elves, and that he refused Gil Galads command a the battle of the Last Allience.. He charged first, ahead of the Gil Galads troops and died because of that..Along with two thirds of his army.._

_And I have a sister.._

_CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Hmm. kleenexes.. You will need them later. especially on chapter 39.. but not yet I think.._


	29. Chapter 28

Chapter 28

It took them several days to move across the Brown Lands. They were exhausting days, for there was nothing to eat or drink but what was left of their meager rations.  
But they were moving fast; they pushed themselves harder than Oropher had pushed them, for every step they took brought them closer to home.  
They could smell the scent of the trees in the air. They could hear the voices of the trees whispering on the wind. A large black area had appeared in the horizon, and though it was too far away to be anything but a black field, Legolas eyes had recognized it instantly for what it was.  
Greenwood.  
Home.

He ran towards Limloeth, who was walking a bit ahead, and touched her lightly before quickly running ahead.

"Tag! You're it!" he shouted.  
"Legolas..." Limloeth said, sounding as tired as she could. However, she was pleased her brother could sometimes act like the mere child he was. "Come on... I'm not playing Tag now."  
But while she protested she sneaked closer to Lanthir. Close enough to touch him.  
"TAG! Lanthir is it!" she yelled, and ran away.  
"THAT IS NOT FAIR!" Lanthir shouted as he ran behind his siblings. "Come back! I didn't even know we were playing!" But then his brother stopped and tagged Lainfea.  
"You can't tag me," Lainfea said. "I'm in a free-zone, AND I'm standing on one leg."  
"There are no free-zones here," Lanthir protested. "And standing one one leg means nothing."  
"It means you can't be tagged," Lainfea said matter-of-factly.  
"In Osgiliath, maybe, but with elves you can be tagged anywhere."  
"No you can't."  
"Yes you can."

"Alright," Legolas intervened. "Here are the rules. You can be tagged anywhere, Lainfea, but if you run too far ahead of whoever is 'it', you'll become 'it'. And we can only run in one direction."  
Legolas pointed at the dark shape. "That direction. Understood?"  
His siblings nodded. "That means Lainfea is it," Lanthir said, satisfied.  
Legolas moved closer to Lainfea. "Tag me, tag me," he whispered softly.  
Lainfea touched his hand lightly.  
Legolas picked up his sister, tagged Lanthir, and quickly ran away.  
"Lanthir is it! Everybody watch out for Lanthir!"  
"NOT FAIR!" Lanthir yelled. "I DONT WANT TO BE IT!"  
Legolas turned and laughed. "Then don't just stand there; do something about it!"

A couple hours later, they all let themselves fall on the floor, exhausted beyond measure.  
"Pffft," Limloeth said. "I couldn't care if i'm 'it' forever, I'm not chasing any of you anymore."  
Legolas grinned and reached for the waterskin. "I think we all deserve some water," he said smiling. "We have never gone this far in a day, ever." He smiled at Lainfea's red cheeks and bright eyes.  
"Are we going to play hide and seek later?" she asked excitedly.  
Lanthir laughed. "Where would you hide here?" he said, spreading his arms around, pointing at the emptiness around them.  
"Not here..." the elfling said. "Later. When we reach the black spot." She pointed at the horizon.

Legolas smiled as he watched the little child.  
"Do you know what that black spot is, Lainfea?" he asked, realizing his sister might not have felt they were looking at their home.  
Lainfea nodded. "It's trees," she said. "Lots and lots of trees."  
Legolas grinned. "And what do you call lots and lots of trees?"  
"Forest?" Lainfea asked, a little insecure.  
"Very good," her brother had to agree. "Forest, or Wood. And what colour is the wood?" he asked, trying to give her a hint.  
"Black," she answered promptly.  
"No... it is green. Green Wood. Do you understand?" Legolas asked happily.  
But Lainfea shook her head.  
"It's not green," she insisted. "It's black."  
The certainty of her voice made Legolas check again.

She was right. The colour of the woods had changed since the last time he had seen them.  
During their years in Mordor, Greenwood had turned dark.

Limloeth had seen it as well. "What does that mean?" she asked her older brother.  
Legolas shrugged. "I don't know, Lim."  
"Do you think there is something wrong with Ada?"  
Legolas shook his head. "I don't know..."

He his stomach turned as he thought about that concept. What if there was something wrong with their ada? What if he had died in battle? Or faded? It had been twenty years they had been away, and granted, that was not long for an elf, but long enough for one of these fates to have befallen their father.

He imagined his father sitting in his study, waiting for his troops to return. Waiting for a sign they were still alive. They never had sent such a sign.  
They were never able to.

He tried to imagine his father going on without them. Waking up everday in an empty bed, eating breakfast alone . He tried to imagine his father without his mother, but he couldn't. In the visions he had had of returning home, the trees would have invited him. His father would have been standing in the gates, arms wide, waiting.

Now Legolas suddenly realized that that homecoming was only a dream. A fantasy that he had needed in order to keep going. Now that he had actually seen what was left of Greenwood, he realized his father would not be standing in the doorway. They had been gone too long. His father would no longer expect anything, if he was alive at all.

"Why are you all so gloomy all of a sudden?" Lanthir asked. "Lighten up! I found water, not far away, and we will be home soon."  
"Home might be changed beyond recognition," Limloeth said sadly.  
Legolas' attention was drawn by something completely different. "You found water? Where?"  
Lanthir pointed south. "Just there... the land suddenly drops off, and down there is the river again. You know, the great one."

Legolas checked his map and swallowed.

"You say we are close to the river?" he asked.  
Lanthir nodded.  
"We are too far south," Legolas said, his heart sinking more and more. He stared at the forest again.  
Right there he saw it. Amon Lanc. Dol Guldur.

Lainfea had been right. They would be playing hide and seek in the forest -  
but they would be playing it with the Necromancer.

* * *

_**Because I'm such a nice person, and it's Valentine's day today,I have decided to post another chappy. A Valentine's chapter to you all! (much better than a card, isn't it?)**_

_Roguish Smile: Well they're not home yet..._

_Moriarwen: Yes you will hear something about Thranduil's life.. But not much and not yet._

_Karone Evertree: Yes poor Orph.. but he had to die. He couldn't stay in Limloeths body forever. I couldn't do that to Thranduil._


	30. Chapter 29

Chapter 29

The Necromancer studied the Forest on his map. Everyday, the part of the forest that fell under his command grew. Everyday was another day of slow retreat for the elves. He smiled. All went as he planned. Soon the elvenking would lose all hope. Soon he would fall, and Mirkwood would be his. Sauron smiled.

Ever since he had first settled himself in Dol Guldur he had searched for a weakness in the elvenking that opposed him. The Necromancer had tried attacking, laying traps, even buying his way out, but the elvenking was strong. He had not fallen for his traps. He had not shown weakness.

For nearly eight hundred years, Sauron had waited and studied, trying to come up with a plan, growing more frustrated with every passing year as the elvenking lingered. The Necromancer needed control of the entire forest so he could search unhindered, for he knew the ring was near. Isildur had died on the Irisfields, so close by, and the forest offered the ring a perfect place to hide. A perfect opportunity to return to his master, if not hindered by those elves.

Sauron smiled as he thought back to those days. For a while he had thought that his opponent could never be defeated. For a while he had thought that Thranduil, son of Oropher had no weaknesses.  
Then the fool had created his own.

He remembered the joy he felt when his spies had brought him the news 55 years ago. A son. He remembered how he had smiled when the news had reached him. Was there anything more pathetic, more weak than a newborn baby?

Yet his opponent had guarded his weakness well. Sauron had to wait 35 years before an opportunity presented itself. But when it came, it came in packages. He hadn't even known the elven king had other children. He hadn't known his wife would travel with them.

He had kept them in his dungeon, three scared little elflings, and one brave pregnant elf-woman. She had been strong. Resisting to the end. Almost forcing him to kill them. His opponent had chosen his mate well, Sauron had to admit. Yet she too had had a weakness.

He had forced the elvenking to choose between his children and his kingdom and he had made sure she knew. He had made sure to tell her he had chosen land over them. He had made sure she believed her husband could have saved her, but hadn't.

It had been amusing to see them lose hope, to see them grow weaker every second, down to a point where he could kill them with a snap of his fingers. But of course he hadn't. He was not a fool.  
Why would he take away his opponent's weakness? It would only make the elf a more formidable opponent, as his weakness would be replaced by vengeance.

No, Sauron was much smarter than that. He had sent the elves away, to Mordor. Because the name of the land was enough to make his adversary shiver, and because the land was far out of the elvenking's reach.  
No wood elf would march to Mordor after the Battle of the Last Alliance. Not even to save the elvenking's child.  
Then he had let the elvenking dangle on the thread of his uncertainty for a while. Thranduil couldn't grieve the death of his children, for he did not know they if they were actually dead or not. He could not avenge them, for he didn't know what the Necromancer could still do to his children.

Yes, Sauron had had the elvenking dangling on a thin thread for twenty years now. It was soon to break. This opponent would fall, and with him, all that was left of his kingdom.

The Necromancer stared at the northern part of the forest. It would be his soon. Very soon.

* * *

The four children of Thranduil had reached the edge of the forest, but Legolas stopped them from entering just yet, though the trees called out to them. He explained his siblings one last time why it was extremely important to stay as low as possible. 

"Alright," Lanthir said. "The southern part of the forest is dangerous because of that Necromancer thingy..."  
"Necromancer thingy?" Limloeth asked shivering. "You mean you don't remember him?"  
Lanthir shook his head. "But that is not the point. What I mean is, if this part of the forest is so dangerous, then why not just follow the river? Why not go around it? Or why not go north?"  
"We can't go north," Legolas answered. "It's too cold this time of year; Lainfea would freeze to death."  
"And wargs and orcs patrol the riverbanks. It is as bad there as in the southern part of the river," Limloeth added.  
"But without anywhere to hide," Legolas agreed.  
Lanthir checked the map again. "But why can't we just cross the river and ask help in Lorien?" he asked.  
"We can't go to Lorien," Legolas and Limloeth said at the same time.  
"Why not?" Lanthir asked, raising an eyebrow.  
Limloeth hesitated and looked at Legolas.  
"It is a Silvan law..." their older brother said. "Ada said that as long as those Noldor refuse to help us fight the Necromancer we will not have dealings with those murdering Noldor traitors."  
"How can Ada say that of other elves?" Lanthir asked.  
Legolas shrugged. "The Lady Galadriel's relatives killed ada's mother when they searched Doriath for a silmaril."

"Look!" Lainfea said suddenly from the ground where she sat, waiting for her siblings to end their discussion. She had placed a hand on one of the branches of the black tree next to her. "Look! It's all green!"  
Legolas, Lanthir and Limloeth stared at the branch. In the time Lainfea had touched it, the black leaves of the branch had turned green.  
"You healed the tree, Lain!" Limloeth said happily and hugged her little sister proudly.  
Over the heads of his sisters, Legolas gave Lanthir a concerned look.  
"Was touching all you did to heal it, Lainfea?" he asked.  
The little girl nodded.  
Legolas groaned and Lanthir suddenly understood. He also grabbed a branch.  
Within ten minutes the first leaves of the had branch started to turn green as well. "Ten minutes," he muttered. "That means we cannot stay in a tree for longer that ten minutes, or we will leave a trail. "  
Legolas nodded.  
"We'd better move fast," he said, and jumped into the tree. His siblings followed them as fast as they could.

* * *

An orc entered his study. "My lord?" it asked.  
The Necromancer turned his gaze towards it.  
"What?" he spat impatiently.  
The orc shivered. "My lord, there is something happening in the forest. "  
Sauron was not pleased. The last time a messenger had told him something like that, an Istar named Radagast had taken up permanent residence on its borders.  
"What is it this time?" he asked, wishing he had the hands to tear the information out of the orc. 

"My lord, the trees are changing," the orc said hesitantly.  
Sauron shot it a glare, almost painful enough to kill. Just how stupid could a being get?  
"Of course the trees are changing, you moron! It is a **good** thing! Or did you think I'd like **green** woods! It is me changing them, you fool!"  
The orc shuddered once more. "But sir, that is the problem. It's the black trees, sir. Some of them have been changing to green again."  
Sauron suddenly regained his calm. "**What **it you say?" he asked in a low, deadly voice.  
The orc paled. "The trees, sir..." he whispered in fear. "They are turning green."  
"It's elves," the dark lord said, more to himself than the orc. "There are elves in my part of the forest."  
The thought disturbed him. He had not thought Thranduil still capable of resisting him. He hadn't thought there would be enough strength left in the elves to heal trees. What had he missed? What had gone wrong? Were they challenging him?

"Send out warg-riders," Sauron commanded. "Hunt those elves down. I want none of them left alive."

* * *

_Moriarwen.. Yes oropher has gone to the halls of the waiting.._

_CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Yes I believe I will have to write a sequal.. I have only finished writing for two days and I miss my elves already..._

_MCross: Hurry with more **where**? Here, or on the MC? or both?_

_moonshine44-grin- SORRY!_

_Nessa Ar-Feiniel: I'm not a great spelling/ grammar person myself.. luckely I have the best editor in the world! A__nd yes. the loss of his children has affected Thranduil..Poor him. _

_kel: OK this might be a little too late after this chapter,_

_BUT the Necromancer is Sauron in diguise._

_After the battle of the last allience he was defeated and disappeared for a while. About 1100 years later the wizards discover an evil power that set himself in Greenwood .They ythink it is one of the Nazgul. BUT.. the power starts to effect the forrest. It grows dark and scary.. and evil things start to appear. Greenwood turns into Mirkwood._

_Untill , 2850 years after the last allience Gandalf discovers ythe necromancer is NOT a mere ringwraith.. but Sauron himself.._

_And In 2941Gandalf and Saruman kick him out.. Sauron moved to Mordor in secret, where is stength grows.._

_THAN he sends three nazgul to reoccupy Dol Guldur (his place in Mirkwood)_

_So you weren't completely wrong.. and at first the wizards thougth the same thing.._

_More about the Necromancer can be found in "the Hobbit," "The unfisnished tales" and "The addendix" (or whatever those are called in english.)_

_Karone Evertree: Cliffhanger indeed.. AND another one!_


	31. Chapter 30

Chapter 30

"Hurry, Lainfea!" Legolas looked back at the girl. In his eyes, she always moved too slowly. Legolas knew she was a only a child. He knew her legs were not long enough, he knew she was too small to jump great distances. It was the first time in her life she walked from tree to tree, and she was doing  
an admirable job. Yet even though she tried her best, she couldn't keep up with her brothers and sister.

Legolas couldn't help to feel annoyed by her slow progress. There were voices of wargs floating of the wind, and the trees sent out warning after warning.  
"Come on," he groaned. Lainfea carefully moved to the end of the branch jumping gracefully on another one, yet she remained in the same tree.  
Legolas waited. His sister moved slowly to the end of the branch, careful not to fall.  
"Come on Lain..." he whispered. Lainfea stared at the branch Legolas stood on and hestitated.

"You can do it, Lain. I know you can," Legolas encouraged her.

She shook her head. "No I can't," she said.  
The tree she stood in had changed with her presence. Some of the leaves were turning green. Legolas sighed. That would be the seventh tree they had marked today. And If Lainfea had stayed in the tree long enough to mark it, it meant Legolas, Lanthir and Limloeth had spent long enough in the  
following tree waiting for her. He checked and moaned. Eight trees marked, and it wasn't even midday yet. Yesterday they had marked a total of seventeen trees, and the day before it twelve.

"Lainfea! JUMP!" he ordered, imitating his grandfather's voice. She shook her head several times.  
"I can't, I can't, I can't," she repeated desperately.

"Yes you can!" Legolas said, nearly as desperate. "You jumped further than this yesterday." It wasn't true, but he knew she could cross the distance. All she needed was confidence.  
The little girl checked the distance again and shook her head. Tears formed in her eyes.  
"I really, really, can't, " she whispered.

A warg howled in the distance.  
Legolas' voice grew more desperate. "Jump! NOW!" he ordered.  
She didn't move. Tears fell onto the branch she was standing on. "It is too far," she said, and moved backwards to the trunk.

"Lanthir," Legolas said. His brother nodded and jumped back onto the tree Lainfea was standing on. He grabbed the little girl and moved back to the edge of the branch.  
"Ready?" Lanthir asked his brother.  
Legolas moved back and forth a little to test his balance, then nodded.  
"Ready," he confirmed.

Lanthir checked the girl in his arms. "Ready to fly, Lain?" he asked her.  
She nodded.  
"Good," Lanthir said. He tensed his muscles, and threw his sister to the other tree.  
Legolas moved fast and caught her in his arms.  
"Got you!" he said triumphantly, as he put Lainfea back onto her own two feet again.

He moved, making way for Lanthir, who jumped from tree to tree. Legolas knew they couldn't keep doing this. His arms hurt from the impact Lainfea had made, and Lanthir was getting more and more exhausted. But they couldn't move over the ground either, for the wargs would pick up the scent of their trail too easily. He couldn't carry her himself either. He was a bit rusty at jumping from tree to tree now; it had been twenty years for him as well.

He sighed desperately. Sometimes he just didn't have the answers. Lainfea placed a small hand on his arm. She could feel her brother was very worried, and knew it was her fault.  
"I can jump to the next tree," she said, trying to make him feel better.

Her older brother gave a weak smile and ruffled her hair.  
"It is not your fault, Lain."  
"Is too," she disagreed. "My legs are too short.  
I just wish I was bigger. Then you wouldn't have to sigh," she said looking up at him. He wanted to say something kind to her, but he was interrupted by Limloeth.

"We have to move," she said. "Danger is coming this way, and it's moving fast."  
An warg howled again, much closer now.  
"Let's hurry," Legolas said grimly.

They moved as quickly as Lainfea could, hurrying across the trees, jumping from branch to branch. Yet the wargs were coming steadily closer, minute after minute. The creatures had picked up the trail of green leaves, and followed it a full speed on the ground.

The four elves heard their low growling and moved as fast as they could.  
Lainfea tried not to listen, she tried moving as fast as her older brothers and sisters, concentrating on nothing but the branches and the distance between them.

Sometimes she could feel a branch stretch itself, trying to aid her but it didn't happen very often. The trees in this part of the wood were having trouble enough to remain standing.

Then it happened again. Her oldest brother jumped into the next tree, and Lanthir and Limloeth followed. She measured the distance with her eyes. 'Too far', her mind told her. 'Beyond your reach.'  
She could see her brother turn and look at her. "Come on, Lain," Legolas said. "You can do it."

She checked the distance again. No she could not.  
A warg howled. It sounded close. Too close. The little girl closed her eyes, then she took off and jumped. For a second she flew through the air, and then her feet connected with the branch on the others side. The elfling opened her eyes and smiled. She had made it.

Legolas stopped for a minute and planted a quick kiss on the top of her head.  
"Well done, little one. I knew you could do it!"  
"Legolas!" Lanthir said and pointed below. The wargs had caught up with them. They were quickly surrounding the tree the elves were in.

"MOVE!" Legolas ordered, jumping to the next tree as fast as he could.  
His siblings followed him, but so did the wargs.

The creatures chased them as they moved from tree to tree, always faster than the elves were, because they were moving over solid ground.

Legolas knew that if he had been alone, he could have outrun them, but Lainfea was quickly falling behind, and he couldn't leave her.

The elfling was hestitating again. He could see why, as the distance she now had to jump was more than twice her height, and there were wargs on the ground below her, jumping, and snapping at her feet.

"You can do it," he whispered, more to convince himself than anything else.  
"You can do it, come on."  
The girl closed her eyes.

She took a few steps back, took a run, and jumped. The moment her feet touched the branch she opened her eyes and smiled triumphantly.

But a warg jumped at the trunk of the tree, causing it to shake.  
Legolas quickly regained his balance, but Lainfea didn't. She hadn't landed fully yet, and her feet slipped.

Legolas could see her expression change from triumph to terror in a millisecond. The little girl landed on the ground, right in the midst of the wargs.

* * *

MCross:

I will not post on the MC today.. As it is Teitho challenge day.. and I don't want the 'grand finale' of my story to be overlooked.. So Sorry.. ButI will post tomorrow..

And I posted here. Again.

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur:

Goodnight. Or... as you probebly shut off your computer afterwards, A very good morning!


	32. Chapter 31

Chapter 31.

Legolas didn't think when he saw his sister fall; he just grabbed his weapons and jumped right behind her. From the russle of leaves he heard, Lanthir did the same.

As he fell, he drew his two knives from the sheaths on his back in one smooth motion, and landed on the floor. From the corner of his eye he could see his little brother landing on top of one of the wargs, trying to break its neck with his landing.

The warg threw Lanthir off, but the elf turned quickly and stabbed the creature in the eye with one of his daggers. He glanced at his older brother and grinned, despite the predicament. "One," he said, his smile widened as he saw the annoyed look on his Legolas' face.

Then the other wargs reached them, and the time for teasing was over.  
Legolas had never fought wargs before, and he was surprised by their intelect. It was not just animals he was figthing, but evil minds that seemed to understand and anticipate his movements.

Lanthir moved next to him, counting the wargs he had killed out loud.  
Legolas was both annoyed by this, and grateful for it. He was still one kill behind his little brother, and he knew that if they survived this, he would have to have catch up, or his brother would tease him endlessly.

But the counting also told him his brother was still alive and well.  
"Fourteen," his brother said, and he even found the time to send Legolas a grin as he spoke.

Suddenly he heard an other voice, comming from behind the wargs.

"Two," it said and Legolas smiled. He had not seen Lainfea since she had fallen down from the tree, but now at least he knew she was alright.

"Lainfea," he said thankfully, trying to find the breath to speak while fighting a large warg."Get back into the tree."  
He moved out of the range of the warg's teeth and stuck a blade into its heart. "Fourteen," he told Lanthir. Finally even.

His brother didn't listen. He was tangled in a fight with three of the wolflike creatures that had surrounded him, and it was not going well.Legolas could see he needed help, but he couldn't reach him, as wargs were now closing in on him as well.

How many of these beasts would they have to fight? It seemed they came in endless numbers, like every warg on middle-earth had decided that it was elf-hunting season.

He heard his little sister scream behing him. She had not retreated in the tree as he had told her, but had stayed on the forest floor.

"That was my leg, you stupid doggie!" she added angrily.  
Legolas let out a sound of relief. If she could talk, she couldn't be too badly injured.

He moved quickly as a giant warg's head snapped at his leg as well. His fight was not going well. He had to use both of his arms too keep the wargs away from his body, but they didn't give him a single change to kill one.

That meant with every minute, Legolas had to fight more wargs.

Suddenly one of the wargs closing in on him fell to the floor and stayed down, an arrow inbedded in this chest.  
"Eighteen," Legolas heard a voice speak from above him.  
"Lim?" he asked, not believing his ears.  
Two more wargs dropped. "Twenty," the oldest sister said.  
Her arrows had created some room for him too move and his blades quickly found the throats of two more wargs.

"Sixteen," he counted in his head, looking for Lanthir. His brother was still wrapped up in the same fight, though the number of wargs he was fighting had increased.  
"A little help, please!" Lanthir shouted.  
But there was nothing Legolas could do. "LIM!" he shouted.  
Above him he heard a ruffle of leaves and her soft counting.  
"Twenty-four."

But is wasn't enough. The space she created for her brothers by shooting wargs from above was quickly filled by others. The stream of wargs was endless, and her quiver was almost empty. "To the trees!" she shouted and her fingers grasped the last arrow. "Quickly! This is the last!" She shot  
one of the wargs between the limping Lainfea, and the tree closest to the little girl.

It was no use. The space was filled. Grimly she pulled out her dagger.  
Artamir had given it to her in Osgiliath, and she had sworn never to use it.  
Not even for selfdefense. Her fingers clutched the handle of the knife even tighter as she jumped out of the tree.

She wouldn't have used the knife for selfdefence, but she would not sit back and watch her sibling be slain. If she could save one of her siblings by killing wargs, she would. If she couldn't save any of her siblings, she would die with them. She pressed the knife into the head of the warg  
closest to her.  
"Twenty-seven," she said softly, shivering as she felt the pain her knife had caused the creature. It hadn't hurt her as much when she had used the bow, and she longed for a new long distance weapon. Yet she continued killing wargs until she reached her little sister, who was bravely fighting four wargs more that twice her size.

"This isn't working," the younger girl informed the elder. "There are too many doggies."  
"Yes Lain, I have noticed," Limloeth said grimly.  
"Legolas isn't doing so well," the elfling said.

Limloeth allowed herself a quick glance. Her older brother was pinned down on the ground by a warg in a hopeless position. On a place far out of their reach. For a moment she forgot to move. Her heart rose in her throat. She saw the wargs between them.  
She saw the wargs closing in. Endless numbers. They could never kill them all. It was hopeless.

A warg snapped at her arm and she felt pain. This time not the pain of something around her, but her own. As a reaction she dropped the knife. This was it. She had used the knife to kill and it hadn't mattered. They had reached Greenwood, but it had changed. They would not reach home. Never see their Ada, or see their home again. After everything they had been through, it had all been in vain.

She thought about the dark leaves of the forest. Maybe it was for the best. She thought. Maybe there was no home to return to. Perhaps there was no Ada to return to. Maybe this was the way of the Valar to keep them from seeing the ruins of what once was good.

She watched as the wargs closed in on her. She ingored her little sister tugging at her sleeve. It was all for the best. She repeated to herself, as the wargs got closer. All for the best.

Suddenly one of the wargs lifted her head as if it smelled something. It gave a yelp, alerting the wargs around her. They all looked up, staring at point behind Limloeth. One by one, they fled in the opposite direction, as fast as they could.

Limloeth didn't dare to turn her head. She didn't want to know what had frightened the wargs so, but she heard it growling and she feared.

Lainfea however stood tiptoe as high as her wounded leg allowed her, glancing over Limloeth's shoulder.

Her face brightened considerably.  
"BEAR!" she cried. "Bear came back to help us!"

* * *

TBC..

Moriarwen: Yes.. It is posted on a yahoogroup : the Mellon Cronicles..

Cathrine Rose: The end will be posted within 9 days.. And ofcourse I'll mention you.

Karone Evertree: Thanks!

Roguish Smile: Grins and says nothing.

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Grins..

kel: A but they want to see their Ada so badly.. and they are all a bit stuborn..

Isiliel: A NOLDO! A Noldo! well You migth not have slayed your kin, but your reletives certainly have.. And you know Who's kin they slayed? MY KIN! Grin.. Just kidding... We of the Sindarin are so forgiving.. You are completely welcome.. Make yourself at home..

Rutu: evil grin.. OH cliffhangers.. you gotta love what they do to people.

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: Thranduil is home in his palace..

Elocin: Grins and shuts up before spoiling everything.

Shell: I'm sorry I lied to you.. (not intentionally..) But I did post on the MC yesterday..But will not post ToDAY as it is Teitho day, today.

sam611: No not dead..

Moonshine44: Grin... Grin..


	33. Chapter 32

Chapter 32

Legolas got up from the floor the moment the wargs released him. He could feel his blood running freely down his back, flowing from cuts the warg's claws had made. It was very painful to move, but somehow he was still alive.

He looked around for his brother and sisters. Limloeth and Lainfea stood close together. His younger sister had a leg wound, and her older sister had a heavily bleeding arm, but both of them were still standing. On the other side of him, much closer, Legolas could see Lanthir. His brother had a cut in his head, but appeared to be alright, save a collection of minor cuts and bruises along with the rest of his siblings.

Legolas had no idea what scared the wargs away, but from the look of Lanthir's face, he did not want to find out. His brother was staring, mouth open, eyes wide.  
"This is not real," Legolas heard him mumbling. "This can't be happening, I only made that up. Toys do not come alive. I made that up."  
Legolas could see Lanthir pinch himself, trying to wake up.

On his other side, Lainfea was practically dancing. "Bear came back! Bear came back and saved us all!"

Legolas heard a growl and turned around.  
"That's not a bear," he said slowly.  
"IS TOO!" Lainfea said angry. "It's Bear!"  
Lanthir was grumpy as well; he hated being wrong. "If it's not a bear, then what is it? A deer?"  
Legolas shook his head. "It's a skin-changer. A man in a bear's body."  
"Is not!" Lainfea stamped her little feet on the ground. "Is BEAR!"  
Limloeth did her best to hug the angry child. "I'm so sorry, Lainfea, but Legolas is right."  
"IS NOT!" Lainfea screamed. "HE'S LYING!" Tears streamed down her face.  
"It's BEAR! Come, Bear! We will go away from these stupid elves!"

The bear didn't move.

"Come, Bear," Lainfea said again, a bit more forcefully.  
The bear stayed where he was.  
"Please? Please come? They are all wrong. All stupid! Come." The girl's voice was not angry anymore. It was pleading for her dream to come true.  
"Please?" she whispered, begging.

Legolas stared at the skin-changer. He knew he was right, and that it was a man they were looking at, but he didn't understand how the man could be so heartless. Why couldn't he just pretend to be Lainfea's Bear? How could he just stand there and let the little girl's hopes and dreams fall apart? In his mind he ordered the skin-changer to move toward his little sister. With the force of all his thoughts, with the power of all his frustration, he ordered the bear to move.  
It didn't.  
Legolas cursed him.  
And then he cursed himself. He had started all this. He was to blame.  
Why couldn't he just have kept his big mouth shut? Why couldn't he have let Lainfea believe her Bear had come back?

The bear shivered, but didn't move in Lainfea's direction. The little girl asked him one more time, het voice barely audible, her eyes full of tears.

"Please?"

The bear turned and walked away.

Lainfea's knees gave way. She fell to the earth, crying as she hadn't cried before. Limloeth wrapped her arms around her.  
"That's right, little one," she said, rocking the elfing back and forth. "That's right. Let it all out."  
The little girl kept sobbing. "I want Bear!" she said between the sobs."I want Bear!"  
Limloeth placed a kiss upon her head. "Of course you do sweety, of course you do."  
"Everybody is always leaving me! Nobody likes me!" the little girl said.

Legolas had reached his sister as well, and gently stroked her hair.  
"That's not true, Lain. Everybody likes you. People just look at you and smile. You are the most liked little elfling in Greenwood. Nobody will leave you."  
"My legs are too short. I can't walk trees well," she said.  
Legolas cought her chin between his thumb and index finger, and gently forced her to look at him.  
"You are perfect, just the way you are. We all love you very much. I love you very much. Limloeth loves you very much."  
Limloeth nodded in agreement.  
"Lanthir loves you very much... right Lanthir?" Legolas asked.

But Lanthir didn't listen. He had silently retrieved most of the arrows  
Limloeth had shot during the fight, and now put them in the quiver on his back. His hands clutched the bow in an iron grip.

"Lanthir, what are you doing?" Legolas asked, his eyes narrowed.  
Lanthir didn't answer, but pulled his blade out of a warg's chest and stuck  
it between his belt. Then he began marching off in the direction the skin-changer left.

Legolas stood up and ran towards him, grabbing his arm.  
"What are you doing?" he asked again in a low voice.  
Lanthir shook himself loose.  
'No one hurts my sister and walks away," he said, his voice dark with fury.  
"Wouldn't you rather comfort your sister, than get revenge? What will she gain from that?"  
"I am comforting my sister!" Lanthir shouted. "I'm bringing her her bear! That's what she wants, right?"  
"That bear is not her Bear."  
"He should have been!" Lanthir replied angrily. "I should have been right!  
Bear should have been a strong warrior bear who liked scaring orcs!" He kicked a rock in frustration.  
"It is hard seeing Lainfea so small, isn't it?" Legolas said as he placed a hand on his little brother's shoulder.

"I can't do it again, Legolas," Lanthir said, his eyes full of tears."It was ripped during the fight. I can't fix it anymore."  
Legolas looked up in confusion. "You can't fix what?"  
Lanthir looked completely defeated. "The stuffed animal I was making for her. I didn't protect it well enough. It was ripped. I can't fix it."  
Legolas hugged his little brother.  
"That's alright, Lanth. "At least you tried."  
"I just wanted to be nice," Lanthir said weakly.  
"It was nice. It was not your fault it failed," Legolas said "Now let's give Lain a hug."

They walked back toward their sisters. Legolas picked Lainfea up from the ground.  
"Come on," he said softly. "We have to move on. There is an ada waiting for us not far from here, and it is about time we found him."

"Are we moving through the trees, Legolas?" Limloeth asked, as she picked up her knife from the ground.  
Legolas shook his head. He had seen the wound on Lainfea's leg, and on Limloeth's arm. He saw Lanthir's head, and felt his own back still bleeding.  
"No," he said. "We must be far enough from Dol Guldur by now. We will walk."

"And where do you think you are going?" a voice inquired from behind.  
"No one moves a even a finger in this part of the forest without my permission. And since I have not given you any, you will now be considered my prisoners."

* * *

TBC... 

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Here you are.. But this is the last one today! My bed is calling my name now..

Moriarwen: Well not bad.. Just a little insensetive.

Cathrine Rose: Oh! Is Limloeth really spelled wrong that often? it is LimLoeth.. And Atole is indeed supposed to be stole..SORRY! And a late happy birthday to you!

Get well Soon.. I know what it's like to feel sick.. I have the flu myself.

Karone Evertree: Well they can be annoying also.. Especially Lanthir can be a pain in the ss. BUT they depend on eachother right now..

Roguish Smile: No, Beorn wasn't born yet.. but you were rigth about the skinchanger.

moonshine44: OH OUCH! please don't call me Leik.. My name is Liek.. (Leik is the Dutch word for Dead Body, well actually its Lijk.. but those two words are pronounced the same) .. And I believe that after this chapter your not exaggerating anymore.

Isiliel: See! There you go again.. Typical Noldo behavoir, and you were even trying to be nice.. STOP CALLING US MORIQUENDI! WE fight the darkness as much as you do. We deserve to be called elves of the Light as well. Irch are darkelves, we are elves of light.

Next, you'll start saying you are "more wise and less dangerous.." tsss.  
But thanks for you apologies.. We were waiting for those a LOOOOOOONG time..  
Well I save you from the cliffhanger, BUT.. I don't think it helped you very much, eh?

TIP: Next time, ask Fingon to help you! I hear he's good at saving people from cliffs.

greetz Liek..

BTW.. If you want to read more of my stories.. I will post a new one today, called Sins of the Ancestor.


	34. Chapter 33

Chapter 33

"BORKA!" Another voice came from behind and the sternness of it made Legolas cringe inwardly. "PRISONERS! Are you insane? They're just children! They can't possibly be any threat!" the voice continued. Legolas turned around to face the speakers.

Between the tress stood a large man, with black curly hair and a black curly beard to match. His arms were crossed over his chest and he glared dangerously at the woman next to him.  
She was smaller, but just as broad in the shoulders as the man was. Her hands were firmly set against her sides. More skin-changers, only in human form this time.

"NOT a threat, Lovis?" the man thundered. "Did you not see the direction they are coming from? I will not trust anything that comes from Dol Guldur! They are prisoners, and THAT IS FINAL, WOMAN!"  
"OH, Really! Will you guard them all by yourself day after day, night after night? Hmmm? And will you do the dishes from now on? Cook your own dinner? Make the beds? Hmm? If you can make desicions all by yourself, then you can run the household all by yourself a well. OR CAN YOU?" the woman roared back.  
The man didn't answer, but simply glared at the woman.  
She didn't move under the glare, just grinned triumphantly.

She turned towards the elves, and as she spoke again, her voice changed completely. "I'm sorry if my husband scared you. Hospitality is not his greatest strength."  
Her husband let out a snort.  
This part of the forest ours," the man said. "And no scum from Dol Guldur will take it. No matter how innocent they look."  
"They are elves, Borka! No orc could look like an elf! I will not have you scare poor lost children! Imagine If your own son was wandering alone in the forest. You would want the elves to help him! To live in these dark parts of the forest is no reason to forget there is such a thing a compassion."  
"Lovis! Foolish woman! They are from Dol Guldur, I tell you!"

Legolas had had enough. The humans were treating them like they did not exist; talking over their heads, and insulting them like that.

"We are not from Dol Guldur," he said, glaring at the both of them. "And we are not lost either. We are returning home, and If you will excuse us, we will continue on our way."

"Out of the question," the man said forcefully. "I will not have evil minions running around in my forest."  
Legolas now really began to lose his patience. He straightened his shoulders, making himself as tall as he could.

"This is not your forest, human. This forest speaks to elves, and to elves alone. It has but one ruler, and that ruler is not you. You linger here by his approval, and by his approval alone."

The two humans stared at him.  
"Well, well well," another voice came from behind. "Look who has returned home. I must say, Legolas, your timing is perfect. Mirkwood was much in need of a miracle. You are Legolas, are you not?"

Legolas stared at the newly arrived. The person was nothing like anyone Legolas had ever seen. He looked like a man, but there was a light shining from him, that was deeper and older than even that of the elves. This was a great soul, yet he was dressed in humble clothing, all in various shades of brown.

"How do you know my name?" he stuttered. "And... and...Mirkwood? And..."  
"What are you?" Lainfea interrupted her faltering brother.  
"Lainfea!" Limloeth said. "That is very rude!"  
But the creature smiled at the girl. "Strength can be found in all of Thranduil's children, I see. I will remember that. You may call me Radagast, little one, and I am a wizard."  
"A wizard?" Lanthir's eyes lit up. "Are you from Valinor? What is it like there? Oh, you must know all kinds of stuff! Can you tell something? Something no one else knows? Like, what is the air-velocity of swallows?"

Radagast smiled at Lanthir. "An excellent question," he said, and he breathed deep to start answering, when a bird landed on his shoulder. He glanced at it before giving Lanthir a sad smile. "For another time perhaps. We will meet again, young Thranduillion. I must be on my way. Borka, Lovis!  
You will make sure these children will get the supplies, they need, will you not? And they could use some bandages as well, I believe."  
"Are you sure they are trustworthy?" Borka said, staring at Legolas as if he was trying to discover the hidden orc. Legolas resisted the urge to shoot the man.

The Istar did not answer; he had already moved away.

Lovis gave her husband a push. "Get moving, you big bear! You heard the wizard! They need supplies and bandages. Come on, children! Our house is this way, and there are plenty of honey-cookies for everyone."

* * *

"I want another cookie," Lainfea announced from her safe spot on Legolas' lap.  
Their wounds were cleaned and dressed, and they had eaten well, yet Legolas did not feel very comfortable. Borka sat in a corner, watching the sibling's every move, his hands never leaving the sword at his side.

Legolas wondered about that. There had lived skin-changers in this part of the forest for as long as he could remember, but they never had used swords before. They had always believed their ability to change into bears was enough protection.

The fact that they were carrying weapons now, and the fact that they were so paranoid, had made Legolas realize that not only the trees of Greenwood had turned dark in their absence. Their inhabitance had changed as well.  
"Mirkwood," Radagast had called the forest.

The word made Legolas feel sick. Mirkwood. As if the darkness was perminent; final. What had happened to the elves? Where was their light? Should they not have kept the darkness at bay?

Legolas watched his siblings fool around. Just by being there the room had lightened.

Lovis stretched out her hand and gave Lainfea a cookie. "Last one, Lainfea, child. I don't want your father complaining to me because your teeth are all rotten."  
"Elvish teeth don't rot!" Lanthir said as he helped himself to three more cookies. Legolas grinned, but Limloeth was not so pleased.  
"Lanthir!" she said. "Mind your manners!"  
Borka laughed in spite of himself. "I was right! He is a little rogue."

But If three elvish siblings could light up a room so easily, if they could make he darkness go away, why did it prevail? The longer Legolas watched his siblings interact with the skin-changers, making them laugh, the more worried he became. What had happened to their father?

"Lovis?" he asked. "Do you know what happened to the elves?"  
The woman shook her head sadly. "Elves do not come to these parts. Not for a long time."  
"They are under even heavier attacks than we are," Borka said. "And their numbers are even lower."

Legolas swallowed. The number of elves was lower than that of the skin-changers? How could that be? "We have to go," he said abruptly.  
Limloeth nodded in understanding. Legolas stood up, lifting Lainfea in his arms.  
Lanthir quickly stuffed seven more honey-cookies in the pockets of his tunic and grinned.  
"What are we waiting for?" he said.

Lovis nodded, and handed each of them a bag of supplies.  
"Well," she said. "Be careful on the road. There are a lot of evil things around."  
"And stay on the road, or the spiders will get you," Borka added as the elflings walked out the door.

* * *

"Are we not going to follow the path?" Limloeth asked as Legolas moved between the trees.  
"No," Legolas said. "It will take us much longer. I want to know what happened to the elves."  
"And what about Borka's warning? Something about spiders?" Limloeth asked, concerned.  
"Who fears spiders?" Lanthir said. "Spiders can be crushed with a stamp of the feet."  
"But Borka said..." Limloeth protested.  
"The forest road leads away from the palace, Lim," Legolas interrupted her. "If we move this way we'll be faster."  
"So we will move away from the road?" she asked once more.  
"Yes," Legolas and Lanthir said at the same time.

* * *

TBC

Karone Evertree: No, the bear is not Beorn.. Beorn wasn't born yet.. but it could be one of his ancestors.  
Thanks for your review of the Sins o/t Ancestor

Moriarwen: Not yet.. he is still about a 1000 years from being born.

Rutu: It's not just a bear, it's a skinchanger.. and wargs fear those.. Read the Hobbit! And thank you for you review of the Sins o/t Ancestor as well

kel: No it was a skinchanger alright..

Moriarwen: Even if it involves amputation of one of your hands?

Kirsten: Thank you! I updated!

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: No, not Thranduil, not Haldir..

Isiliel: Just because we choose not to speak Quenya doesn't mean we can't... We're not stupid!  
Umanyar sound a lot better, thanks!  
And about orcs.. Tolkien never said they were mortal.. And as they were created out of elves.. there is a change they could be immortal.. That is what I believe. But they, of course stand a much better change of dying in battle..  
no not Beorn.. he wasn't Born yet..

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: grins.. well,. they ran into everyting else.. what do you think?


	35. Chapter 34

Chapter 34

As they were walking, the forest seemed to press together, branches leaned into other branches forming barriers, almost making it impossible to move between them, as if they were trying to force the elves to stay on the path.

But Legolas had had enough. He had to know what happened to his father, and he had to know it now. So he ignored the branches that tugged at his clothes. He ignored the roots that tried to trip him. He needed to get home and he was almost there. He just had to hold on. They were almost there, and nothing would stop him now.

He had enough of these constant interruptions; he wanted to be home.

Behind him, Legolas could hear his brother trip on another root.  
"Legolas?" he could hear Limloeth ask. "Maybe we should turn back and follow the roads. These trees are forcing us there for a reason!"  
Legolas didn't even look back, but continued on. "We are not taking any more detours. **I **will reach home today. If **you** want to take a detour, fine. Take a detour. **I**'m going this way."

He moved along. Behind him he could hear Limloeth mumble something about "stubborness" to Lanthir, but he paid no attention to it. They were still following him, and that was what mattered.

They were so close to home. He started to recognize trees; their voices were familiar even though their shapes had changed. It pained Legolas to see what had happend to them in the time they had been away.

A branch stretched out and wrapped itself around Legolas wrist. Annoyed he shook it off again. These were the trees he knew best. They were supposed to help him. Had their hearts changed color as well as their leaves?  
"What is up with these stupid trees!" Lanthir said in frustration behind Legolas, as he wresteld with a willow that had wrapped a root around his ankle.

"There trying to prevent us from going home." Legolas growled.  
But Lainfea, still safely in his arms, shook her head. "No they're not," she said. "They are trying to prevent us from going that way." She pointed at the way they were currently heading.  
"**Home** is that way," Legolas said, frustrated.  
"Are you sure we shouldn't just turn around?" Limloeth asked again.  
"I WILL NOT TURN AROUND!" Legolas snapped. "I will reach home, TODAY."  
"Alright, alright," Limloeth said. "I was just checking... Valar! What is up with you today?"  
Legolas sighed. "I'm sorry Lim, I just...I just want to be home."  
She placed a hand on his arm. "It's alright. I understand. Just...you don't have to snap at me, alright?"  
Legolas nodded.  
"Do you want me to carry Lainfea for a while?" she asked.  
"No, it's alright. I can manage," he said, his voice sounded very tired.  
She rubbed his arm a little.  
"Hold on, muidor nin, we're are almost there. Just hold on."

They trudged silently on.

* * *

"Lanthir, come on!" Legolas called back to his brother, who had fallen behind quite a bit.  
"I can't!" Lanthir shouted back. "I'm stuck!"  
"Just ask the trees to release you! Or threaten to hurt them if you must!"  
Legolas answered.  
"It's not a tree that holds me!" Lanthir called back.  
"Not a tree?" Legolas asked confused. 

"No!" Lanthir's voice sounded very frustrated. "It's something else. It's white, and sticky, and GROSS!"  
Legolas turned around. His brother was right; it was certainly not a tree that held him.

"Legolas?" Limloeth said, her voice shivering. "That looks like a giant spiderweb..."  
"No it doesn't," Legolas answered. He really had no time for giant spiders.  
"Yes it does," Limloeth's voice sounded very resonable.  
"NO IT DOES NOT!" Legolas snapped at her again.  
"I don't care what it looks like," Lanthir said. "Get me out of it!"  
Legolas put Lainfea on the floor and pulled his knives.

Getting Lanthir out proved much more trouble than Legolas assumed. The threads that had caught his brother were very thick, and the knives Legolas had weren't elven. Limloeth was helping, but she wasn't as strong as her brother, so it took her even longer. They were losing precious time.

"Legolas?" Limloeth asked, hesitating.  
"Not now, Lim," he said grumpily while working on one of last strands.  
Almost there.  
"Legolas, we have to move. Fast!" she told him urgently.  
"I'm not finished yet!" Legolas replied.  
This time Limloeth didn't react in a patient, nor understanding, way. She glared at him, her voice low and threatening.  
"Well, you'd better work fast, because danger is approching. And it's moving fast."  
Legolas didn't answer but channelled his frustration into his work.

"Elves," a voice above them said, delighted. "There are elves in my web."  
Legolas looked up and swallowed. "Lim..." he whispered, trying to alert her.  
But his sister continued working on the threads that held Lanthir.

"I told you, didn't I? I told you it looked like a giant spiderweb. I told you we should have moved. I asked you if we shouldn't stay on the road. But did you listen? Did you pay any attention to any word I said? NO!" she said, still working quickly. "But now you finally notice them. Now they are a real threat? What did you think? Limloeth made everything up? Limloeth, oh she is crazy, don't listen to her?"  
"Lim..." Legolas interrupted her, as he watched the spiders slowly move closer.  
"NO DON'T YOU 'LIM' ME!" Limloeth snapped as she hacked furiously at the last strand holding Lanthir. "This entire journey I've been understanding. I have supported you. I have warned you, and I even killed for you, but did you appriciate it? Did you even listen to a WORD I SAID?"  
"Lim, I..."  
"NO YOU DIDN'T! You just went on your royal way! AND YES, THERE IS A SPIDER ABOVE ME, AND IT IS HUGE! BUT I'M NOT LEAVING LANTHIR!"

She gave a last hack and the thread broke. Lanthir was free, and not a moment too soon. The spider had jumped and now occupied the place Lanthir had been a few moment before.

Legolas shot an arrow at the spider's head. The creature skrieked as the arrow hit its head, but it didn't drop down. Instead it called out to other spiders: "Prey hurt me; revenge! REVENGE!"

The elflings shivered as they heard leaves rustle all around them. They moved closer, back to back. Legolas held the bow, and the others had their knives drawn.

A spider dropped out of the tree, close to the siblings. Legolas took more time to aim this time, and the creature fell as the arrow hit it in one of its eyes.

"One down," Legolas said.  
"A million to go," Lanthir added as three other spiders dropped. The leaves above them were still rustling. More spiders were still coming their way.  
"Yes," Limloeth said, "and where is Lainfea?"

* * *

_**TBC**_

_well as it is very late were I live.. I don't have time to asnwer any reviews today.. SORRY.. But it is eigther that or no second chappy.._

_I will answer them tomorrow, don't worry._

_Liek_


	36. Chapter 35

Chapter 35

Legolas looked around. Limloeth was right; Lainfea was nowhere to be found.  
"Lainfea!" he called out, ignoring the spiders that got closer. "LAINFEA!"  
No answer came.  
"LAIN!" Lanthir and Limloeth joined him in the shouting as the spiders got closer. "LAINFEA!"  
The tone of their voices became desperate as their younger sister didn't answer.  
The spiders laughed softly.  
"Call all you want, elflings. No one can hear you," one of them said in its raspy voice.

Legolas felt sick with despair. He hated himself. It was his fault they hadn't followed Borka's advice and stayed on the road. The trees had tried to warn them, but he hadn't listened. Limloeth had warned him, and again, he hadn't listened.

He had been selfish. He had only listened to the call of home in his heart, which had grown so strong now that they were so close. He had promised his mother he would keep Lainfea safe. He had promised himself he would get her home.  
But he hadn't. In the end he had failed, because he had only thought about himself.

One of the spiders lunged at Legolas' heart, and out of reflex he shot an arrow at it. The spider dropped to the floor with a sickening thud. Around him, other spiders reached the siblings. They were close, and Legolas was forced to abandon his bow for his knives. He could see Lanthir duck and push one of his blades in the soft belly of one of the spiders. It was dead, yet Lanthir didn't smile at Legolas, or even count it.

Legolas could see his brother's heart was no longer in this fight. Like Legolas himself, Lanthir kept searching the egdes of the battle for a sign of their little sister. And like Legolas, he found none.

Legolas suddenly realized that if they survived this fight, he would have to explain to his father why their little sister had not come with them. He would have to tell him that she survived Mordor, against all odds. He would have to tell she survived orcs, and corsairs, and the Dead Marshes, only to disappear on the doorstep of their home. Because he had been too stubborn, too selfish.

And then he would have to tell Thranduil that the love of the king's life, Lalaith, was dead. And he, Legolas, was to blame as well. His heart sank at these thoughts, and his hope faded more and more with every second that passed by.

The spiders where still attacking, and out of reflex, Legolas still fought back. But his blows missed accuracy. They missed strength. They missed hope.

Legolas' mother had tried to teach her children to hold on to hope at all times , even in the darkest of places. She had told them that no darkness could last forever, and that eventually all would be better with time. She had told her children to be strong in both body and soul. She had told them to stick together when the darkness fell, and to shelter each other in the light that shone in each of them.

Yet when Legolas looked around now, he did not see a light. He looked up to the trees, and behind the spiders, but all he saw was endless darkness; a stark void of nothingness, in which no hope or strength could be found.  
Darkness, and spiders.

There was no way Lainfea could be anything other than taken. If not, they would have seen her. If not, she would have answered his calls. She wouldn't have left by herself. Their mother had told them to stick together at all times, at any cost.

"Legolas!" Limloeth said, while hacking off a spider's leg. She shivered as she did so, but knew that she must, at whatever the cost to her. "That tree!  
Isn't that the tree Nana planted when Lanthir was born?"  
It took Legolas a while to figure out what she was talking about. Then he nodded in recognition. "Yes, it is."  
"It is?" Lanthir asked. "Great. Just great," he added sarcastically. "I've had a **poet **deciding my fate. 'Let the boy die on the place they planted his birthtree. That would be **SO POETIC**,' " he growled as he ducked the spider attacking him. "Great," he added once more. "I HATE POETRY!"

"It is great," Limloeth said. "Because if that is your birthtree, then we are very close to the forest stream."  
"So?" Legolas asked, not understanding why she looked so hopeful all of a sudden.  
"I have a plan!" Limloeth said, and while she fought the spiders, she moved in the direction of the stream. "Follow me!"

* * *

Lainfea had been watching her brother and sister trying to free Lanthir when a branch had wrapped around her wrist and started pulling her away from her siblings. She had struggled, trying to free herself, but the tree held on tight.

She glanced at her brother and sister, who were still busy with the web that held Lanthir. She could feel that they were tired and irritated. She knew that if she asked them for help, they would only snap at her. Just as they were snapping at each other. She shivered. The little girl didn't like people snapping at her, and that always made her cry. So she would have to solve this little problem  
on her own. She could do that. She was a big elf, after all.

"You are hurting my arm," she whispered to the tree. "Please stop..."  
The tree loosed its grip on her a bit, but still she couldn't wiggle her way out.

"Let me GO!" she ordered it.  
"Come," a whispering voice answered. Lainfea could feel the tree pulling at her, and she moved along with it, to keep the branch from hurting her arm.

"Stop!" she said softly. "I have to stay with my brothers and sister! Stop it!"  
"Danger is approaching. Come."  
Lainfea wiggled once more, trying to get back to her siblings

"My brothers! We have to warn them! Stop!"  
"Stop talking!" another whispering voice interrupted. "The spiders will hear, and all will be lost."  
"Your siblings have already been warned," other voices spoke.

Lanifea looked back. Legolas and Limloeth were still trying to free Lanthir.  
She wondered if she should call out to them, asking them to help. But then Limloeth suddenly screamed at Legolas. She cringed.

"Please," she whispered to the tree again, tears forming in her eyes. "I want to go. I have to help."  
"You can help," it answered. "That's what we want you to do. But you'll have to go this way. Come, little Lainfea. Come this way."

"Can you move through trees, little Lainfea? I'll bet you can. I'll bet you are really good at it," another voice whispered.  
Lainfea shook her head as more tears flowed.

Another branch wrapped itself around her middle, pulling her up from the ground, into the tree. She couldn't see her brothers and sister anymore; all she could see were the leaves of the tree she was in, and the spiders.

Large black spiders were coming from all directions. A branch wrapped around her mouth.  
"Don't scream. They will not see you. We will keep you safe, just don't make a sound. Talk to us in your head. We will hear you."  
Lainfea felt the branch that held her let her wrist go. The branch around her middle disappeared as well.  
"Do not scream," the tree repeated, before removing its branch from her mouth as well.  
"This way, little one," a tree said.  
"Don't worry, we will keep you safe," another one added.  
"This way."  
"This way."  
"Come."

Lainfea looked behind her. Somewhere over there her siblings would be missing her. Another spider moved past her.  
'They need help,' she thought, not wanting to leave them.  
"Then go get it, little one," the trees answered.  
"This way."  
"This way."  
"Come."

Lainfea sighed and followed their voices.

She had no idea how long she had walked, guided by the voices of the trees, when she suddenly stood before a huge gate.  
"Go on," the voices told her. "Go on… These gates are the beginning of the end of your long way home. Open them."

"I don't know..." Lainfea whispered. Legolas had always told her not to open  
doors when she was alone, because you never knew what would be behind them.  
"Just open them," the trees whispered. "Just open them... It's alright...  
Nothing is wrong... open the doors."

It took all Lainfea's courage to push on the doors. They didn't move.  
"They won't open!" she whispered.  
"Just ask them to. Just ask… Ask."  
Lainfea looked at the doors. "Please," she said softly. "Please open!"

For a moment, nothing happened. Then, very slowly, the doors began to move.  
Lainfea took a deep breath and slipped though them.

The doors closed behind her with a loud thud. Startled, she looked behind her. She didn't like closed doors. They made ther feel trapped.  
Then suddenly two pair of arms grabbed her. "What is _this_?" a very stern voice asked.  
Lainfea screamed.

* * *

TBC..

Moriarwen: Yes, she had very right to, hadn't she?

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Thanks.. and they're not that far away...

Karone Evertree: I am planning on writing more , one shot and sequals to this one.. Maybe even one-shot sequals to this one.. **grin**

And yes the spiders did talk.. (goes to find her copy of The Hobbit) ah.. page 147: "Aye, they'll make a fine eating , when they've hung a bit" ...

Rutu: It was 1 am.. Legolas is hardheaded because he is tired, and he has had enough and he wants to go home.

Isiliel: Thingol narrow minded? I think not! He could have said: "Revenge! CUT OF THEIR HEADS..." (Like some relatives of you would have done (choughs something that sounds suspisiously like 'sons of feanor'..) but he chose a very peacefull solution.. Go Thingol!

And No I didn't write "sins of the ancestor" for you, It was written two months ago, before we started this pleasant conversation.. But I did think of you when I posted it on FFnet, and I was looking forward to your reaction..

Hey, since you have such clear ideas about your LOTR character .. do you play online RPG at all? And If you don't already, or if you are looking for a new group, would you like to join us then?  
Send me a mail if you do..

Kirsten: YEAH! A REVIEW! more please!

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: Hey! Patience! only 4 chapters!

moonshine44: happy saturday then..

Cathrine Rose: Or else, WHAT? eh? (four more chappy's and an epilogue..)


	37. Chapter 36

Chapter 36

Thranduil sat in his study, trying to bury himself in his work. If he tried hard and concentrated on the numbers and figures, he could almost forget the horrible loss he felt, the pain that crushed his chest during every ungarded moment.

He never delegated anything anymore. Every letter written to the king was answered by the king himself. Every dispute was settled by the king. Every piece of tax money was counted by the king. If there was no work left on the king's desk, he would go over the laws again and again, trying to see if  
he could improve them in any way. There were 100 lawbooks in Greenwood, and in the last 20 years, Thranduil had learned them all by heart.

It was all he could do not to fade.  
He hardly ever slept, because to sleep would mean to wake up in an empty bed, and realize his loss all over again.  
If, for a moment, he lost his concentration, his thoughts would stray to places he could not go, to moments that had long faded into the shadowy mists of time.

Sometimes his ears and eyes created beautiful illusions that brought his past life back for a few seconds. The sound of little elf feet on the stones.  
Children laughing, a woman singing. But those illusions never lasted, and Thranduil would always remain behind, and quite alone.

No one laughed in Thranduil's palace anymore. No songs were sung. The elves moved around as silent as they could, glancing at their king, as if he would shatter into a million pieces if they made a sound. He could see the silent questions in their eyes. They asked themselves why their king tortured  
himself so. Why he just didn't allow himself to fade.

Yet Thranduil held on, without sleep, without laughter, without hope. He hold on because he had to. He opposed his despair with all the willpower he possessed. He transformed his weakness into strength, and he used that strength to fight the evil in Dol Guldur.

It was that evil that had taken away his family. It wanted him to fade.  
It was waiting gor that moment.  
And so Thranduil held on.

He fought against his sorrow day after day, night after night.  
A battle more desperate than the battle of Dagorlad, in which his father had  
died. A battle with even less hope.

Suddenly the trail of his thoughts was broken by a scream, followed by curses...

* * *

Thranduil looked at the racket in his courtyard. Three of his guards were crowding aroud a small figure that was screaming like it was being tortured.  
"WHAT is going on here?" Thranduil thundered.  
Each of the guards jumped, startled.

"My Lord!" stuttered one of them, trying to make a prober gesture of respect without loosing his grip on his captive.  
"Sire," another one said. "We have caught an intruder, sir. "  
"She was sneaking in, my lord," the third one added.

Thranduil stared at the little elfling restrained by the royal guards.  
He took in a sharp breath. For two seconds, in spite of everything, he believed it was Legolas he was looking at. But then the elfling turned her head, and Thranduil saw it was a girl. He could feel himself fall deeper into despair than he ever had before, and the pain was almost strong enough to bring him down forever.

Yet he remained standing.  
"Who are you?" Thranduil asked with a voice still hoarse of the pain he felt. The girl didn't answer. She was not even looking at the elvenking, but tried to bite the hand of one of the guards, while kicking the shins of the others.

"Release her!" Thranduil ordered his guards.  
He knelt in front of the girl, so that he was eye level with her.  
"Who are you?" he asked again, steadier this time.  
The girl remained silent.

"If you don't tell me who you are, I will have to lock you up, child," Thranduil said sadly. Caution was necessary in his forest at all times. Seemingly innocent children could be working for the enemy, trying to save their loved ones who were held hostage. It had happened before.

Tears formed into the girl's eyes. "They said you would help us," she said, crying. "They promised."  
"Who said I would help you?" Thranduil asked with a look of confusion on his face.  
"The trees! They said you would help us. They said you would save my brothers and sister from the monsters."  
"She is lying, sir," one of the guards said. "Trees don't speak to elflings that age. That is ridiculous."  
Thranduil agreed on that, but somehow he did not think this child was lying.

For some strange reason he felt extremely protective over this elfling, almost like she was a treasure that was entrusted to him for safekeeping.  
He was certain he had never seen her before, yet she seemed very familiar in a way.

"Who are you?" he asked once more, but the girl was not listening. She glared back over her shoulder, staring beyond the closed gates behind her.  
"They said you would help," she said desperately, as if she was trying to defend her actions to an unknown person.

"Where are your Nana and Ada, little one? Are they captive somewhere?"  
The girl ignored the question.  
"It is a trap, my lord," one of the guards said.  
Thranduil nodded sadly. He was very worried what the Necromancer had done to he child, or her parents, to make her so determened to pull him into danger.

"I'm sorry, child. I'm afraid I will have to keep you here. I'm sorry."

"NO!" The girl said angrily. She stamped on the feet on one of the guards,  
and ran towards the gates at full speed. "Open!" she shouted. "Open!"

Thranduil wactched her go. He did not try to pursue her, for the gates would not open to anyone, except those with royal bl...

His jaw dropped as the little girl slipped through the opened doors.  
His heart filled itself with a feeling he had not had in twenty years.  
Hope.

"A HORSE!" he shouted to the stunned guards. "I NEED A HORSE NOW!  
AND MY WEAPONS!  
AND AS MANY WARRIORS AS YOU CAN FIND!  
NOW!  
NOW!"

* * *

TBC..

Randa-Chan: Hey! glad to see you are still reading.. I hope the ending lives up to your expectation as well... Only 3 chapters!

Moriarwen: Ah! "when they foind out who she is" Good Point!

Karone Evertree: She WAS home yes.. (evil grin)

Aly K: They are comming, don't worry..

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: Good you will need kleenexes.. I think.. Later on.

Rutu: you are quivering with impatience? wow! My story did that? WOW!

Isiliel: I didn't say you were a daugther of Feanor, now did I?

And about Thingol.. well he should have listened to what his daugther wanted of course.. i agree with you on that. But...I still think the not-speaking- Quenya law was a very good one. No futher bloodsheds (and one elvish language is really enough, isn't it?)

And I'm enjoying this discussion al well as you do.. Too bad your parents don't led you register.. That means you can't have a yahoo id, eigther, doesn't it... You'll need an ID like that to join RPG.. And that is a shame really, Cause you would be a great addition I think..

(but we are playing in Mirkwood now.. sooooo...)

Anyway, about the story.. You will need those boxes of kleenex.. don't you worry.

Nessa Ar-Feiniel: (grin)


	38. Chapter 37

Chapter 37

Thranduil didn't wait for the guards to bring him the horse and the weapons he had requested, but started running after the little girl immediately.  
"Wait!" he shouted as he ran. "Wait, little girl!" He didn't know what to call her. She was his own daugther and he didn't even know her name. He didn't remember any of the names he and Lalaith had thought of for their soon-to-be-born child. He felt a stab of pain when he thought about Lala.

But with his little daugther in sight he found the pain much easier to ignore.  
Now, if only he could catch up with her.  
"WAIT!"

* * *

Lainfea looked back.  
The tall man was still following. That was not good. He had said he wanted to lock her up. She didn't want to be locked up. Never again.  
The trees told her to stop running, but she didn't listen to them anymore.  
They were liars. They had said she would find help behind the doors, but she only found tall man trying to lock her up. She would not listen to the traitor-trees.

She would have to find the others and help them all by herself. She shivered as she thougt about the spiders, and she suddenly felt very alone.

"I want Bear," she thought, and tears filled her eyes.  
"I want Legolas.  
And Limloeth.  
And Lanthir.  
I want an ada."

Had Legolas not promised her an Ada if they would get to Greenwood?  
Well, they were in Greenwood now, weren't they? Why didn't their ada come and help them?  
"WAIT!" she heard the tall man yell behind her. "PLEASE WAIT! PLEASE!"

Lainfea turned. The voice of the man sounded almost as lonely as hers. There were tears on his cheeks. Something about the man reminded her of Lanthir, when he cried. She almost wished she had something to give him, to make him feel a little better.

She stopped running.  
"You can't lock me up," she said.  
The tall man reached her, and he stood a bit lost, as if he didn't know what to do anymore.  
"I don't want to," the tall man whispered. "I would never hurt you."  
"You said you wanted to lock me up," she replied accusingly. "You didn't want to help."  
"I'm sorry. I'm so sorry. I do want to help. I didn't know.. I.. Didn't..."  
The tall man looked miserable again.

"Could you... Please...just, just tell me you name?" he asked.  
She thought about it. Telling names was very dangerous. Legolas hadn't want to tell anyone. Not even Biddy and Artamir. Legolas had been very angry when she had told them.  
She was supposed to use another name. What was it again?  
"Melian. My name is Melian," she said.

Thranduil stared at the child.  
Melian? _Melian_? That could not be right. Lalaith would never have called her child Melian. And it should have been something with an L.

Suddenly he became aware of the fact that he was alone in the woods, without his guards, and without weapons to defend himself.

He had been defeated. He had made a fatal mistake.So this was how the Necromancer had finally defeated him. He had used Thranduil's love for his children to crush him in the end.

Thranduil fell to his knees.  
"Please," he begged in a whisper. "Please, Valar. Help me. I have to win. For my people.  
Please.  
For my people."

* * *

Limloeth moved as fast as she could through the hoards of spiders. She suddenly didn't care she was hurting other living creatures as she concentrated on the forest stream with all of the power she possesed.

For a moment she doubted her abilities. The stream was bigger then she remembered. Then she shook her head. She would doubt herself no more. She could do it.

"It's just like healing," she mumbled to herself. "Just like healing a huge, huge animal."  
She could do it.

"Legolas, Lanthir!" she called to her brothers, still fighting the spiders.  
"To the other side of the stream! Quickly!"  
Legolas gave a quick nod, but Lanthir protested.  
"That wasn't your plan, right? The spiders will just follow! There is more, isn't there? Tell me there is more!"  
Limloeth sighed.  
"There is more," she said, a bit annoyed. "Now, MOVE!"  
She didn't watch as Lanthir and Legolas fought their way to the riverbanks.  
All she did was concentrate on her own battles and on the stream.  
The stream was the clue.  
She could do it.

Legolas was the first to reach the water, but his siblings followed quickly, and so did the spiders. He wished Limloeth had told him what her plan was, so he could have any idea if it was working or not.  
So far, it didn't seem to work.  
The stream wasn't deep enough to make swimming nessecary, and the spiders could cross it almost as easily as the elves could.  
The water had changed in the years they had been away, from crystal clear to dirty black.

"Try to keep them at the other side for a while. Don't touch the water."  
Limloeth whispered to her brothers.  
Legolas drew his bow again. There weren't many arrows left. Limloeth's plan had better be good.

Limloeth closed her eyes and concentrated. Slowly, she could feel her power taking over. She could feel her body starting to shake as she let it flow freely. But she held on. She was strong enough, she told herself.  
She would do this.  
Her hands started to shake.  
Her strength failed. But she had to finish this! She almost had.

"Last one," she could hear Legolas say behind her, as she gave one final push. This was it. This was all she could give. She hoped it had been enough.

A spider moved closed on the other side. It laughed out loud as he realized the elves were without arrows, and it quickly moved closed, into the water.

And then, it stopped, and fell to the side.

Limloeth grinned. She had done it. It had worked!

"What?" she heard Legolas say, he sounded very confused. "What just happened? Why?"  
But Lanthir understood. "She enchanted the stream!" he cried out. "She enchanted the stream, like she enchanted the corsair's drinks! LIM! That's brillant! Marvelous!"  
Limloeth gave a weak smile. She felt unable to move another limb. The use of her power had left her completely drained.

* * *

TBC

Moriarwen: What makes you think the next chapter doesn't have one? (grin)

Randa-Chan: well the story will be finished when you read this than.. Tell me how you liked the ending!

JC: Thank you!

Rutu: Not true.. Not every chapter.. I believe Chapter 5 and 20 something were more or less cliffless.

Isiliel: If your parents allow you to get a yahoo account.. http:groups. - This is where you can play RPG with us..

(Hopefully they will bring the realm alive again and make the people a bit more cheerful.) I'll save that for the sequal

sam611: They have been gone for twenty years and he didn't expect them to be home.. during those twenty years they were kept in Mordor.. and Sauron had treathened to kill them if Thranduil or any other elf would make any attemps of freeing them.. First the elvenking didn't want to take the risk. Later he just didn't have the hope.

moonshine44: Well If nice people are nice.,. than i guess I have to update! here it is..

CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: The chapter you requested.. Enjoy!

Nessa Ar-Feiniel:And they're not really good in talking to eachother.

Karone Evertree: Thanks! And now he has to realize it AGAIN!


	39. Chapter 38

Chapter 38

The little girl crawled closer to the man on the ground. She stretched out her hand very slowly and placed it lightly on his forehead.  
"Sir?" she said, her voice trembling a little.  
"Sir? You must get up."  
The man on the ground kept staring into the distance, mumbling something about "strength."  
"You can't lie down here," she tried once more. "You have to help." She tried tugging at his sleeve.  
"For my people," the man whispered to someone who wasn't there.

It was almost like the time Legolas and Limloeth didn't wake when they were in the swamps.

Lainfea took the man's hand off the floor. She had only one solution for people that didn't wake up. If shaking and tugging didn't help anymore, biting still would.

* * *

The royal guards exchanged worried glances. Their lord had run off without weapons or any form of protection into the dangerous forest, and they were unable to find him.  
"My lord? My Lord Thranduil?" one of the guards called out.  
He was knocked in the head by an other one immediately.  
"Are you insane? Do you want to draw all the spiders in this forest toward you? SHUT UP!"

They moved along. The only time they broke the silence was to give their horses whispered instructions on the paths to take.  
All of their senses were fixed on the world outside. Their eyes searched every leaf, their ears picked up every sound while searching for their king.

Then, they heard the elvenking yell.

Without even looking at each other, they turned their horses, riding in full speed toward their king.

* * *

Thranduil stared in surprise at the teethmarks on his hand.  
"What...? Why?" he asked unable to understand the little girl's actions.  
This entire situation was very odd, as no orcs had come to claim him, though he had been lying on the ground, unarmed and drained, ready to be killed.  
"You had to wake up," she, Melian, said.  
"And so you bit me? Is that your method of waking people? Did you parents forget to raise you, Melian?" Thranduil said sternly, while rubbing his hand.  
She shot him a glare. "I tried shaking first."

The king looked at the child once more. Where had the Dark Lord found an elfling that looked to incredibly like one of Thranduil's own to serve his evil purposes?  
"Melian?" he asked softly. "Who are your parents? Who is your Nana?"

She shrugged.  
"I don't think I have a Nana," she said sadly.  
Thranduil stretched out one of his hands and brushed a few hairs out of her face.  
"And what about your ada, small one? Who is your Ada?"

The little girl looked even more miserable. She suddenly looked smaller than she had before.  
"I don't think I have an Ada either. Legolas said we would get an ada if we reached the woods, and all would be better. But we have reached the woods, and he didn't come."

Thranduil would have given her a hug, if he had not been so scared to scare her away. Then he suddenly realized what she had said.

From inside out, a chill spread through his body.  
"Legolas?" he asked. " Did you say _Legolas_?"  
Her eyes went wide and she took a step back, clapping a hand to her mouth. The girl was suddenly terrified.

Thranduil could hit himself in the head. How stupid of him to think he had walked into a trap when, of course, he hadn't. Of course the little one was no evil servant.

She had just lied about her name.

* * *

"There he is!" one of the elvenguards said, pointing. The guards told to their horses to move even faster.  
"Shield him!" one of the guards shouted.  
"Get the girl!" An other one replied.

* * *

Lainfea felt horrible. She had told Legolas' name to the tall man.  
Legolas hated it when she told names.  
He would yell at her again, and cry, and leave her behind, just like he had done at Biddy and Artamir's house.

The tall man didn't look so sad anymore. He had wanted her to tell him their real names.

She had been so stupid.

Then her ears suddenly picked up a sound. She heard shouting and the pounding of hooves.  
There were more tall men coming, and they all looked very, very angry at her.

She turned and ran, as fast as she could.

* * *

Thranduil saw his daugther turn and run away, a look of terror on her face, but he was not fast enough to prevent it.

A few seconds later his guards thundered past him, riding as fast as they could.

"STOP!" Thranduil called. "STOP AT ONCE! LET HER GO! YOU ARE SCARING HER!  
COME BACK HERE. THIS INSTANCE!"

They didn't hear him.

Thranduil waited until the next horse passed him. With one of his hands, he grasped the horse's mane, and used all his strength to swing himself onto the horse.

"I'm sorry," he said to the stunned guard, now behind him on the horse,

"But this animal is now being borrowed."

* * *

TBC.

To all you nice people who reviewed.. Thanks a lot.. I really loved reading them..

I will answer them tomorrow when I post the last chapter.. (keep those kleenexes ready)


	40. Chapter 39

**Chapter 39**

"Lim, can you walk?" Legolas asked his sister with a hint of worry in his voice. She was still shaking, but she shone brightly.  
"Of course I can walk!" she said, and straighted her shoulders. "I can enchant an entire stream. Surely I am able to walk!" She took a few steps. Legolas could see it hurt her greatly to do so.  
"Come on," he said. "I'll carry you."

She looked at him gratefully as he walked towards her. "I'm sorry I'm such a weak person..."  
"Weak? You?" Lanthir answered. "You can enchant an entrire stream! Surely you cannot be weak!"

Legolas smiled at his brother.  
"Let's move," he said. "Before the spiders on this side of the riverbank find us

"Yes. Let us be safely home before that happens," Limloeth said, and then she stared at her brothers in shock.  
"We can be home tonight," she said.  
"We really, really, can be home tonight!"

She smiled, but Legolas felt only sadness.  
"We will be home tonight," he said. "But Nana won't. She will never be home again. And Lainfea... Lainfea..." his voice failed.

They all stood together in silence for a while, arms around each other, giving each other silent comfort and strength.  
Three strong, young, elflings, that had almost made it. Almost.

After a few minutes, Legolas lifted his head, and wiped the tears from his eyes.  
"We'd better get going," he said.  
The others nodded.

* * *

Thranduil rode to the front line of his riders as fast as he could, ducking the branches that were in his way. The elvenking could feel the guard behind him on the horse was terrified, as the elvenking rode with a speed far  
too dangerous for use in these woods.

But Thranduil didn't care. He had to stop his guards before they accidentally hurt, or scared, his little daugther. He would have to reach her first.

Before him he could see the little girl, and admired her intelligence.  
She moved in a way across the trees that was almost impossible for the guards on horseback to follow. Though she moved a lot slower, she picked a route through the forest that made the distance between her and the guards  
grow with every move she made. She wiggled herself between two trees that stood close together, and dove under low branches. She made other branches sweep backwards, which made it dangerous to follow her too close behind.  
But Thranduil had hope.  
They were getting closer to the forest stream, and that would hopefully slow her down enough to catch up with her.

The guard behind him yelled in alarm as Thranduil turned abruptly right, in order to follow his daugther's path.

* * *

Lanthir suddenly lifted his head.  
"Do you hear that?" he asked.

Legolas, with Limloeth in his arms, stopped and listened as well.  
"Horses," he said.  
"And they are coming this way!" Limloeth added in alarm. "Do you think they could be elves?"  
Legolas shrugged.  
"Maybe," he said. "Or maybe not."  
"Considering the luck we've had," Lanthir added dryly, "It's probably Morgoth himself."  
Limloeth slapped him. "Don't say such things!"

Legolas put Limloeth on the ground and drew his knives.  
"Lanthir is right. We should prepare for the worst. That way it can only get better."

* * *

Lainfea ran as fast as she could, but the horses were still following her.  
They moved too fast.

As two horsemen go too close, she sharply turned right and moved along in another direction.  
Another one of the mean elves got closer. He stretched out is hand to catch her, but Lainfea dove between the horses legs to the other side.  
She was out of reach again. She looked her around and finally spotted something that made her smile again.  
Everything would be alright.

* * *

Thranduil almost choked as he saw the risks the elfling took as she moved between the horses.  
"STOP!" he shouted at his guards. "STOP! NOW!"  
But it seemed they had all turned deaf.

They thundered on, in front of him, next to him, behind him. To Thranduil it seemed they were unstoppable, and he began to lose the hope that had built itself up so easily at the sight of his little girl.  
And then, all of the sudden, they stopped.

Thranduil looked around, confused. All the faces of the elvenguards had the  
same expression. They all stared open mouthed to a place in the woods.

* * *

Legolas had been prepared for anything, when suddenly something launched itself at him.  
He had had only a few seconds to drop his knife and catch her safely into his arms.

"Lainfea?" he asked softly. "Where did you come from? Where have you been? We were so worried!"

The little girl clutched him, holding so tight that Legolas didn't think she would ever let him go.

"I...I went to get help," she said, between sobs . "But the help didn't help, and they wanted to lock me up, and they were chasing me, and they said I was lying, and I told the tall man your name, and I didn't mean to, but  
it just happened, and they were all mean and...please don't be mad...?"  
"I'm not mad," Legolas said, knowing that was what Lainfea wanted to hear most of all. With his free hand he wiped the tears off of the little girl's face. "Now," he continued. "Who did you say was chasing you?"

But the girl didn't have to answer. Lanthir tugged his brother's sleeve.  
"Legolas... Look.  
Just look."

Legolas looked up.

* * *

Thranduil followed the gaze of his warriors.

A cold shiver spread throughout his body, and he held his breath.  
He didn't dare blink.

* * *

Legolas didn't move.

A large group of elven warriors had appeared before him, but he saw only one.  
The one in the center, the tall blond one, who looked as if all his dreams had come true.

He stared, not believing it was real.

Seconds passed, and all they did was stare in each other's eyes, without moving, without breathing, while tears threatened to spill over.

It was Limloeth that broke the silence first. "Ada!" she cried, and ran towards him, throwing herself in his strong, safe arms. Lanthir followed suit.

Legolas carefully let go of the little child in his arms. "You found Ada, Lainfea. You found Ada and you brought him here. Now, go... meet him."  
He gave her a little push in the right direction, a grin on his face.  
Hestitating, she moved towards the elvenking, until she was pulled closer by Limloeth, who hugged her, and introduced her to their father.

Legolas stayed behind a bit, giving his siblings their moment.

He watched Limloeth wiggling herself safely into her father's arms.  
He watched Lainfea giggle at something he said.  
He watched Lanthir talk to his father about everything that had happend to them, complete with sound effects and rapid arm movements.

He watched Thranduil; how he laughed at Lanthir's story, how he rubbed Limloeth's back, how he gave Lainfea enough distance to get used to him, without excluding her.

Then his father looked up and returned his look.  
His father merely nodded at him, but Legolas knew what the nod meant; "come."  
And suddenly, Legolas had enough of watching. He took off and ran full speed, right into his fathers arms.  
Thranduil wrapped his free arm around his oldest son.

"My Legolas," he said. "My beautiful, brave, strong, Legolas."

It was as if the walls Legolas had built up around himself all gave way at the same time. There was nothing he could do but hold on to his Ada, and let out the thousands of tears he had not cried in the years before. He had been strong for so long, not allowing his need for love and affection show, but not any longer.

His tears fell steadily, but through those tears, Legolas smiled.

They had made it.

They were home.

They were finally home.

* * *

**The End.** (_But don't forget to read the epilogue!)_

_Nessa Ar-Feiniel: Thranduil has a lot to teach, and a lot to learn about his children..That's the main theme of the sequal of "the Long Way Home": "To Trust"_

_Rutu: Look! a chapter without a cliffie.. That brings the total of cliffless chapters on 3._

_CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: And? Kleenex?_

_Kirsten: No injuries.. just tears._

_Trista: yes there will be a sequal called: To Trust (but not yet..)_

_Isiliel: Your idea of Lainfea biting Thranduil is really good.. Mind If I use it in the sequal? (I'm not saying i will, but can I?)_

_And No they don't have counseling in Mirkwood, Thranduil and the siblings will have to work it out themself._

_Karone Evertree.: No he didn't.. The guy is still on the horse.. No longer in control of it.. but still on the horse._

_Moriarwen : Yes!_

_Aly K: I think Thranduil is happy now.._

_silverkonekotsukari: And A? Great.. I'm happy.. and I do hope your twitching is better now.._

_moonshine44: Yes there will be a sequal: To Trust.. I migth take a while but it will definiatly appear._


	41. Epilogue

**Epilogue**

She looked into her mirror because she felt that something had changed.  
Something had happened that would greatly affect the future of the elves. But not in Lothlorien, nor in Imladris, or the Grey Havens. Mirkwood. Something had happened in Mirkwood.

'Strange...' she thought. For the last twenty years, all she had felt in  
Mirkwood was the advancing darkness, the delayed defeat.

Yet that wasn't what she felt today. Today, things had changed; the balance had shifted.

She searched her mirror.  
All it showed her was Thranduil, sitting in his children's room, his cheeks still damp from tears. The same image she had seen for twenty years, whenever she had searched Mirkwood.  
A fading elvenking.

Galadriel sighed. She deeply felt for Thranduil. He had loved his children so much, and to lose them, all in a single day, was unimaginable.

However, seeing Thranduil watch his children's empty beds was not her goal.  
She was trying to figure out what was had happened Mirkwood.  
"What has changed?" she asked the mirror. "What has happened?"  
The mirror refused to show anything other than Thranduil.  
"Show me Mirkwood's future," she asked.  
Thranduil.  
"What has happened?"  
Thranduil again.  
"Show me what I need to know!"  
Thranduil.

"Show me anything other than Thranduil!"

The image shifted slightly to the bed of Thranduil's child. A golden head lay on top of the pillow, next to another, and another, and another.

Galadriels jaw dropped. "They have returned?" she asked, not believing it was possible.  
The image didn't change.  
"They have returned," she whispered, realizing what it meant.

The image in the mirror started changing. Image was followed by image in a wirlwind of pictures.

A bow.  
Elvish laughter.  
Children singing.  
A ranger and an elf watching the sky.  
A fat dwarf, dripping of water, fast asleep.  
A hobbit wandering through the elvenking's halls.  
A dragon soaring through the sky.  
A battle of what looked like five different armies.  
A young elf riding through the gates of Imladris.  
A fellowship of nine beings.  
A winged Nazgul crashing down.  
Four blond elves spinning around, dancing like mad.  
A ship sailing away.  
Thranduil and Celeborn meeting in a forest.  
A dwarf and an elf riding a horse together.  
Green leaves on the forest trees.

A future.

Strong arms wrapped around Galadriel's waist and pulled her close.  
"You are smiling," Celeborn said to his wife. "It is not often I find you smiling, after you've looked into that thing.  
What did you see?"

"A happy ending," Galadriel replied.  
"A happy ending to a Long Way Home. "

**

* * *

**

_Moriarwen: yes.. sequal.. but it migth take a while.. However I will post another one-shot tomorrow.. called: The Forgotten._

_MCross: Glad to be making your day. The sequal will first appear on the MC I think.._

_Rutu: I don't know yet. I'm writing To turst now.. But I need to do a bit of research.. On how childhood traumas affect lives and stuff.. So, I'm working on it!_

_Tomorrow I will post another one-shot however._

_Cathrine Rose: THANK YOU! i loove reviews with a lot of capitals and exclamaitions.)_

_CapriceAnn Hedican-Kocur: You couldn't find your kleenex? But I warned you?_

_Well as I said to Rutu.. I'm working on the seq.._

_Karone Evertree: Thanks... Here it is.._

_Nessa Ar-Feiniel : Thank you!_

_Aly K: I'm sorry to put you in such a vunarable position! I had no idea.._

_Kirsten: Well here it is.. last update_


End file.
